Abstract
Growth of microscopic cones on PTFE surface by RF sputter etching process are studied. The surface texture changes from initial submicron hillocks to large cones during sputter etching. The hight of these cones is 33-45% of the etching depth calculated from etching rate. Direction of these cones are nearly equal to the ion incident angle. Boundary energy of sputtering and growth of cones are 100eV and 150eV, respectively. It is obtained that the redeposition ratio by back diffusion to sputtered molecule is 11% from the experiment using collector. It is concluded that redeposition and repolymerization process of sputtered material occures in parallel with the ion etching process, and cones futher grow partly during etching.
