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Quantitative analysis of mixed (Mo,W) carbides by means of least‐squares minimization performed on auger spectra simulations
Author(s) -
Silberberg E.,
Reniers F.,
BuessHerman C.
Publication year - 1999
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(199901)27:1<43::aid-sia462>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - auger , carbide , auger electron spectroscopy , tungsten , analytical chemistry (journal) , spectral line , molybdenum , tungsten carbide , materials science , chemistry , atomic physics , metallurgy , physics , chromatography , astronomy , nuclear physics
Surface analysis was performed by Auger spectroscopy on mixed(Mo,W) carbides that were synthesized with a 50:50 molarratio of both metals. Because of the molybdenum and tungsten Augerpeak overlap in the energy window between 100 and 230 eV, a linearcombination of appropriately chosen standard spectra was requested inorder to determine their composition quantitatively. Therefore,molybdenum, tungsten and mixed (Mo,W) carbides wereprepared and characterized by electron and x‐ray diffractions.The diffraction techniques allowed the determination of the carbidephases corresponding to specific metal/carbon stoichiometries.The Auger spectra of mixed (Mo,W) carbides were simulatedby weighted sums of the Auger spectra of α‐WC and MoC. Aleast‐squares method was applied on the simulated Augerspectra, in the whole energy window, in order to determine the bestsimulation revealing the true composition of the mixed(Mo,W) carbides. This technique requires the homogeneity ofthe sample over a larger depth than the inelastic mean free path ofthe Auger electrons. Moreover, it allowed the determination ofdifferent compositions of mixed (Mo,W) carbides resultingfrom different preparation routes. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons,Ltd.