X. Torrelles et al., Structure of the clean NiAl(110) surface and the Al2O3/NiAl(110) interfaceby measurements of crystal truncation rods, SURF SCI, 487(1-3), 2001, pp. 97-106
The clean NiAl(1 1 0) surface and the Al2O3/NiAl(1 1 0) interface have been
investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments. In the case of
the oxide surface the analysis of the NiAl(1 1 0) crystal truncation rods (
CTR) provide information about the interface between the Al2O3 film and the
NiAl substrate. The analysis of the CTR-data shows clearly a rippled Ni-Al
topmost surface with an amplitude value of R-Ni/Al = 0.16 +/- 0.01 Angstro
m for the clean surface and R-Ni/Al = 0.18 +/- 0.02 Angstrom for the oxide
covered surface. On the clean surface the Al sites are expanded by +3.8% (o
utwards) and the Ni sites are contracted by -3.2% (inwards) respect to the
unrelaxed interlayer separation. For the oxide covered surface an increase
of the expansion of the outermost Al atoms (+7.3%) relative to their bulk p
ositions has been found, while the Ni atoms remain (-0.9%) at the bulk posi
tion. On both cases, an ideal surface stoichiometry (1:1) was obtained. How
ever, some intermixing (chemical disorder) of one specimen in the sites of
the other and vice versa was present (less than 4%). This chemical disorder
was not enhanced by the presence of the Al2O3 overlayer. Neither rippling
nor oscillatory relaxation in deeper layers was detectable. (C) 2001 Elsevi
er Science B.V. All rights reserved.