Auger electron spectroscopy of alloy surfaces

Abstract

Regular solution models predict surface segregation of the constituent of lowest surface free energy in homogeneous multicomponent systems. Analysis of the Auger electron emission intensities from alloys yield the surface composition and the depth distribution of the composition near the surface. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) studies of the surface composition of the Ag–Au and Pb–In systems have been carried out as a function of bulk composition and temperature. Although these alloys have very different regular solution parameters their surface compositions are predictable by the regular solution models.