Temperature effects on the depth profiling of alloys

The paper deals with the interpretation of the results obtained from the de pth profile measurements based on sputter analytical techniques for samples that were previously subjected by ion bombardment. It is shown that the ch anges in the kinetics of surface composition observed at the initial stages of depth profiling may not correspond to the real composition distribution for the near-surface region, but may be initiated by unbalanced fluxes bet ween the sputtered atoms from the surface and mass transport in the near-su rface layer taking place under concentration gradients formed by preferenti al sputtering. The influence of temperature that affects the process of seg regation is considered and a possible segregation mechanism based on radiat ion induced phonons is investigated. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.