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Depth analysis of metal coatings by glow discharge spectrometry with an argon—helium gas mixture
Author(s) -
Teo W. B.,
Hirokawa K.
Publication year - 1989
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/sia.740140308
Subject(s) - argon , helium , sputtering , glow discharge , analytical chemistry (journal) , copper , ionization , materials science , chemistry , plasma , atomic physics , thin film , metallurgy , ion , nanotechnology , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , quantum mechanics
Depth profiles of Cu/Ni, Zn/Fe and Ni/Fe metal coatings obtained with a Grimm glow discharge lamp using an argon—helium gas mixture and pure argon gas were compared. Copper and zinc showed a large increase in intensity for the argon‐helium gas mixture, but Ni showed a small decrease. The sputter time for all three coating metals almost doubled, indicating a smaller sputtering rate for the argon—helium gas mixture. A broadened interface due to the different manner in which the surface was eroded was also observed for the argon—helium sputtered profiles. Intensity enhancement in Cu and Zn was explained by the higher excitation and ionization potential of helium and the simple energy levels (simple spectra) of these elements. On the other hand, the dense energy levels of the Ni atom (complex spectra) does not lead to intensity enhancement.