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Characterization of titanium hydride film after long‐term air interaction: SEM, ARXPS and AES depth profile studies
Author(s) -
Lisowski W.,
van den Berg A. H. J.,
Smithers M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199803)26:3<213::aid-sia362>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - titanium , auger electron spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , titanium carbide , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , thin film , titanium dioxide , chemical engineering , metallurgy , chemistry , composite material , nanotechnology , physics , chromatography , nuclear physics , engineering
Thin titanium hydride (TiH y ) films are compared with thin titanium films after analysis using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and angle‐resolved x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS). The TiH y films were prepared under ultrahigh vacuum conditions by precisely controlled hydrogen sorption at 298 K on Ti films evaporated onto a glass substrate. Analysis was performed in separate systems after long‐term exposure of the films to air. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a grain structure of the TiH y film, with a smaller grain size than the Ti film. Both the surface and bulk regions have been analysed in terms of their chemical composition and elemental distribution. Titanium dioxide was found to be the main chemical compound forming a contamination layer on both the TiH y and Ti film surfaces. Also, significant concentrations of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon as well as small amounts of nitrogen and titanium carbide were detected. The thickness of the contaminated titanium oxide layer on the TiH y and Ti films was found to be ∽13 and ∽20 nm, respectively. Long‐term air interaction with the TiH y film leads to bulk penetration of oxygen but not to complete TiH y decomposition. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.