Ion scattering and Auger electron spectrometry of superconducting ''Nb/sub 3/Ge'' sputtered films

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.322464· OSTI ID:7142590

Tongson, L L; Rogowski, D A; Knox, B E

Low-energy ion scattering spectrometry (ISS) in conjunction with Auger electron spectrometry (AES) has been applied to the analysis of a series of superconducting ''Nb/sub 3/Ge'' thin films deposited on alumina substrates by rf sputtering. ISS was used to determine the Nb/Ge ratio as a function of depth, while AES in combination with ISS was used to determine the impurities. No gradients in composition with depth were observed except in a thin (approx.13% of the film thickness) niobium-deficient region near the film-alumina interface. The applicability of ISS to quantitative measurements of the Nb/Ge ratio was shown by comparing the variation of this ratio with lattice parameter a/sub 0/ with a similar analysis performed on the same samples using electron microprobe (EMP) measurements on the Nb and Ge composition. Comparison of the Nb/Ge ratio determined by ISS with EMP data showed that no preferential sputtering of Ge from the films occurred during neon ion bombardment. The variation of T/sub c/ with the Nb/Ge ratios determined by ISS and EMP supports the idea that for ''Nb/sub 3/Ge'', T/sub c/ increases as the composition approaches the stoichiometric ratio of 3:1. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
• OSTI ID: 7142590
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 47:11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
GERMANIUM ALLOYS
ION SCATTERING ANALYSIS
NIOBIUM BASE ALLOYS
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FILMS
ION SPECTROSCOPY
RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
SPUTTERING
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SPECTROSCOPY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
400103* - Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures- (-1987)