Abstract
In this study, molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on single (CO_2)_N (N=1-20) cluster impacts onto a graphite HOPG surface in order to investigate the size and energy dependence on the sputtering effect. Small clusters at high collision velocity easily induced collision cascade in the target leading to non-thermal energy dissipation and that resulted in the saturation of the sputtering yield at higher collision energies while larger clusters showed energy concentration in a small area explained as the group effect. The sputtering yield corresponded well with the experimental results.
