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An investigation of surface segregation in magnetron‐sputtered NbSi using UPS and AES
Author(s) -
Hucknall P. K.,
Walker C. G. H.,
Greig D.,
Matthew J. A. D.,
Norman D.,
Turton J.
Publication year - 1992
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.740190108
Subject(s) - auger electron spectroscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , sputter deposition , amorphous solid , silicon , niobium , sputtering , spectral line , chemistry , spectroscopy , materials science , thin film , crystallography , metallurgy , nanotechnology , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics , astronomy , nuclear physics
Films of amorphous NbSi prepared by magnetron sputtering were found to have a higher concentration of silicon at the surface than in the bulk material. In this paper we report on measurements of both ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy carried out on samples prepared in situ at the UK Synchrotron Radiation Source, Daresbury. Spectr taken immediately after sputter deposition show that the surface is rich in silicon, while following argon ion bombardment the bulk composition is slowly revealed with a much greater concentration of niobium. This is observed by a comparison of the relative heights of peaks in the Auger spectra and by resonance effects and the sharpening of the Fermi edge in the UP spectra. Of particular interest are changes around the metal‐insulator transition that occur at approximately 11 at.% niobium.