Glancing angle x-ray study of the effect of oxygen on interface reactions in Al/Ni bilayers

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Materials Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1991.0935· OSTI ID:5812631

Heald, S M; Barrera, E V ^[1]

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1. Applied Physics Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (US)

Glancing angle x-ray reflectivity and EXAFS measurements have been made on a series of UHV prepared Al/Ni bilayers with varying amounts of oxygen impurities. These samples show an intrinsic reacted region prior to annealing, and for clean samples further reaction occurs at 250 {degree}C. Oxygen is found to influence strongly the course of the reaction with an effect which depends on its location. A few percent O impurity within the Al film strongly suppresses the grain boundary diffusion path, which allows the growth of a smooth NiAl{sub 3} layer. Interfacial O exposures of 60 and 600 Langmuir both inhibit the initial reaction and raise the temperature at which further reaction occurs to as much as 300 {degree}C with an effect which depends on exposure. The thickness of the intrinsic reaction zone is about 60 A for clean samples, and is nearly eliminated for contaminated interfaces. The results indicate that surface/interface, grain boundary, and bulk diffusion all play important roles in the formation of these interfaces, and that each of these is influenced by O impurities.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016; AS05-80ER10742
• OSTI ID: 5812631
• Journal Information: Journal of Materials Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Materials Research; (USA) Vol. 6:5; ISSN JMREE; ISSN 0884-2914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104* -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ALUMINIUM
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
FINE STRUCTURE
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
INTERFACES
LAYERS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NICKEL
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
SCATTERING
SMALL ANGLE SCATTERING
SPECTRA
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ULTRAHIGH VACUUM
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY SPECTRA