Auger electron spectroscopy studies of boron carbide
Auger electron spectroscopy has been used to probe the electronic structure of ion bombardment (IB) cleaned surfaces of B/sub 9/C and B/sub 4/C samples. The shapes of the B-KVV and C-KVV Auger lines were found to be relatively insensitive to the bulk stoichiometry of the samples. This indicates that the local chemical environments surrounding B and C atoms, respectively, on the surfaces of the IB cleaned samples do not change appreciably in going from B/sub 9/C to B/sub 4/C. Fracturing the sample in situ is a way of producing a ''clean'' representative internal surface to compare with the IB surfaces. Micro-beam techniques have been used to study a fracture surface of the B/sub 9/C material with greater spatial resolution than in our studies of IB surfaces. The B/sub 9/C fracture surface was not homogeneous and contained both C-rich and B-rich regions. The C-KVV line for the C-rich regions was graphitic in shape. Much of the C-rich regions was found by IB to be less than 100 nm in thickness. The C-KVV line from the B-rich regions was carbidic and did not differ appreciably in shape from those recorded for the IB cleaned surfaces.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5386331
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-85-1687C; CONF-850786-2; ON: DE85017428
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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