An oxide thin film formed on a stainless steel is analyzed by microfoc
used Auger electron spectroscopy (mu AES): the oxide film consists of
five sublayers of 2 to 4 nm in thickness. A chemical reaction path of
this system is elucidated by comparing a chemical potential diagram wi
th the elementary distribution observed; thereby the phases in the thi
n film are specified. The diffusion property of this system is discuss
ed in relation to the chemical reaction path and it is indicated that
an up-hill diffusion occurs in the oxide thin film. (C) 1997 Elsevier
Science S.A.