Various methods of producing technically-clean stainless steel surface
s for special applications by means of soft procedures, i.e. without r
emoving metal atoms, have been investigated, and a comparison between
contamination of obtained surfaces has been made by means of total and
partial desorbed flow rates and by AES and XPS analyses. Differences
in residual contamination, and recontamination of surfaces due to expo
sure to air have been determined; results suggest that the best proced
ure could involve a steam degreasing followed by heat treatment and ma
intenance in nitrogen to prevent recontamination.