Premium
Results of apparent atomic oxygen reactions on Ag, C, and Os exposed during the Shuttle STS‐4 orbits
Author(s) -
Peters P. N.,
Linton R. C.,
Miller E. R.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl010i007p00569
Subject(s) - osmium , carbon fibers , oxygen , sputtering , atomic oxygen , materials science , thin film , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , nanotechnology , ruthenium , environmental chemistry , composite material , catalysis , biochemistry , organic chemistry , composite number
Films selected for anticipated reaction with atomic oxygen, namely carbon, silver, and osmium, were exposed during the Shuttle STS‐4 mission. A silver film 225 ± 5 nm thick was converted to a transparent blue‐green interference film 355 ± 5 nm thick. Both carbon and osmium films 10‐30 nm thick apparently formed volatile oxides and disappeared, except where well shielded. A calculated total of approximately 7 × 10 19 oxygen atoms per cm² struck the surfaces, which could have removed on the order of 3 µm of material if only 10% reacted. The absence of apparent effects on adjacent thin and thick gold films is offered as evidence that sputtering is not responsible.