Al (110) surface oxide thermal stability in ultrahigh vacuum. (4th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cai, Minzhen; Outlaw, Ronald A.; Butler, Sue M.; Miller, John R.
• Is Part Of: Surface and interface analysis. Volume 45:Number 11/12(2013:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1769
• Page End: 1774
• Publication Date: 2013-09-04
• Subjects: Surfaces (Physics) -- Periodicals; Surface chemistry -- Periodicals; Thin films -- Periodicals; 541.33
• DOI: 10.1002/sia.5320
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-2421

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This research characterizes the stability of the Al₂O₃ surface oxide on Al (110) as a function of temperature and within an ultrahigh vacuum environment (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 5 × 10⁻¹² Torr). Auger electron spectroscopy and temperature desorption spectroscopy were used to correlate the change in oxygen and carbon surface concentration. The surface oxide was observed to remain stable up to 350–400 °C. Above this temperature, the oxide began to dissociate resulting in a CO desorption peak at 425 °C followed by extensive dissolution of the C and O into the Al bulk. A second and much smaller CO desorption peak was observed at 590 °C in concert with complete oxide breakdown and the virtual disappearance of surface carbon and oxygen. Extrapolation of the Auger electron spectral ratios of C_KLL and O_KLL peaks to the sum of the Al⁰_LVV and Al³⁺_LVV peak suggests that the surface concentration of each approaches zero at ~640 °C. The predominant mechanism for reduction of the surface oxide occurs by dissolution into the bulk instead of desorption. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</p> </abstract>