Abstract
Topography and composition of the surface of nickel-based alloys under irradiation with \({\text{Ar}}_{{2500}}^{ + }\) cluster ions with the energy of 20 keV, and atomic Ar+ ions with the energy of 3 keV have been studied. It has been experimentally found that the surface of the alloys is depleted by a component with a lower binding energy. It is shown that the change in the surface concentrations of the alloy components upon irradiation with cluster ions is an order of magnitude greater than upon sputtering with atomic ions. The degree of change in the surface composition is determined by the ratio of the sputtering yields of the alloy components.
