Auger electron spectroscopy study of interdiffusion, oxidation and segregation during thermal treatment of NiCrrCuNi Mn/rNiCr thin films

The effect of annealing on sputter deposited thin-films NiCrrCuNi Mn.rNiCr is studied by Auger electron depth profiling. The samples were annealed to maximum temperatures of 3008C to 5508C and investigated at ambient temperature. Auger transitions of Cu and Ni are separated by target factor analysis, principal component analysis and linear least squares fit to standard spectra. For the CuNi Mn. layer in the as-received state AES results shows a Cu depletion caused by bombardment induced segregation. After annealing the measured Cu concentration has increased due to Ni diffusion to the interfaces. The NiCr layer is degraded with increasing annealing temperature due to formation of a chromium oxide and diffusion of Ni from the CuNi Mn.layer. A sequence with nominal compositions near Cr2Ni, CrNi and CrNi2is found. At the NiCrrCuNi Mn.interface an interdiffusion zone phase Ni0.6Cr0.2Cu0.2 is formed. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved