  Self-sputtering of copper under high electric fields is considered to
contribute to plasma buildup during a vacuum breakdown event frequently
observed near metal surfaces, even in ultra high vacuum condition in different
electric devices. In this study, by means of molecular dynamics simulations, we
analyze the effect of surface temperature and morphology on the yield of
self-sputtering of copper with ion energies of 0.1-5 keV. We analyze all three
low-index surfaces of Cu, {100}, {110} and {111}, held at different
temperatures, 300 K, 500 K and 1200 K. The surface roughness relief is studied
by either varying the angle of incidence on flat surfaces, or by using
arbitrary roughened surfaces, which result in a more natural distribution of
surface relief variations. Our simulations provide detailed characterization of
copper self-sputtering with respect to different material temperatures,
crystallographic orientations, surface roughness, energies, and angles of ion
incidence.
