ISSN:
0142-2421
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Layers of the oxides FeO, Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Cr2O3 and Al2O3 were prepared by evaporation of the corresponding metal layers onto a preoxidized Si substrate and oxidation at elevated temperature. The oxidation was conducted under thermodynamically well-defined conditions so that the pure oxide phases noted were obtained. The oxide layer thickness was calculated from the thickness of the initial metal film, which was determined by chemical analysis and from the frequency change of a quartz crystal upon evaporaton. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiles of the oxide layers were measured during Ar+ sputtering, and the sputter time necessary to reach the interface oxide/substrate was determined. The determination of this sputter time was not very exact, because the transition from oxide to substrate in the profile was rather gradual, owing to the roughness and crystalline character of the oxide layers that causes inhomogeneous sputtering. However, from the sputter time, oxide thickness and ion beam current, the sputter rates were obtained for the oxides noted (in nm μA-1 cm-2 min-1) and were compared to the sputter rate of amorphous Ta2O5, which is generally used as the sputter reference standard. Considerable differences were found. The results will lead to more reliable determinations of oxide scale thicknesses by sputtering.
Additional Material:
6 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/sia.740210911
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