Structural study of a thermally diffused Al/Ni bilayer via x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Ni thin films deposited on (111) Al thick samples have been submitted to an nealing treatment. The goal is to identify the phases formed in the early s tage of mixing between Ni and Al. Combining complementary techniques such a s x-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we ch aracterized two different systems depending on the temperature conditions. For a thermal treatment at 110 degreesC, a system formed of small AlNi3 clu sters embedded in the Al matrix was identified. This was interpreted as due to the existence of a spontaneous Al/Ni interface mixed layer acting as a seed for the AlNi3 cluster formation. After annealing at 300 degreesC, the Al3Ni intermetallic compound was detected, in agreement with results in the literature. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.