A study of diffusion in thin Cu/Pb films using Auger electron spectroscopy

Abstract

Diffusion in thin bimetallic films of Cu and Pb used in superconductivity work has been evaluated by Auger electron spectroscopy. Measurements at the original Cu surface show that after diffusion the final surface composition is predominantly Pb with some Cu, suggesting that the original interface may have broken up during diffusion. An Arrhenius plot gives an activation energy of 0.52 ± 0.07 eV for the process. The technique appears to be a new method of measuring diffusion rates in thin films.