Surface composition of palladium—gold alloys

Abstract

The surface composition of clean, annealed PdAu alloy wires has been estimated using Auger electron spectroscopy. A limited enrichment of the surface in gold has been detected. By calculating relative Auger electron yields for alloys with differing surface and bulk composition, a value of the enrichment factor, k, k=(x^Pd_s/x^Au_s)(x^Au_b/x^Pd_b), of 0.6 is estimated. An average enrichment factor of 0.6 is consistent with our data. The results are discussed in terms of ideal and regular solution monolayer enrichment models which predict results for the PdAu alloy system in agreement with experimental measurements.