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Auger electron spectroscopy studies of boron carbide

Journal Article · · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.35614· OSTI ID:5634089

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. Microbeam 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 Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5634089
Report Number(s):
CONF-850786-
Journal Information:
AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Vol. 140:1; ISSN APCPC
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English