Closure to “Discussion of ‘The Kinetics of Thin Oxide Film Formation on Iron Using Proton-Impact-Excited X-Ray Analysis’ [P. B. Needham, Jr., H. W. Leavenworth, Jr., and T. J. Driscoll (pp. 778–783 Vol. 120, No. 6)]”

A seminal model describing the kinetics of growth of thin oxide films on metal crystals was proposed by Cabrera and Mott (CM). The model is based on the assumption that the growth is limited by the field-facilitated activated jumps of metal ions located in steps on the metal–oxide interface. We generalize the CM model by (i) exploring the interplay of jumps of metal ions from the step and terrace sites at the metal–oxide interface, and (ii) scrutinizing the processes at the oxide–gas-phase interface. The former factor is found to change the physical meaning of the parameters in the CM growth law. The latter factor results in modification of the growth law. In particular, the oxidation kinetics becomes dependent on the O2 pressure. More specifically, the oxidation rate is predicted to increase with increasing pressure. This effect is, however, rather weak and becomes progressively weaker with increasing oxide film thickness.

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The effect of substrate orientation on the kinetics of ultra-thin oxide-film growth on Al single crystals

Acta Materialia ◽

10.1016/j.actamat.2008.02.031 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 56 (12) ◽

pp. 2897-2907 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

F. Reichel ◽

L.P.H. Jeurgens ◽

E.J. Mittemeijer

Keyword(s):

Oxide Film ◽

Single Crystals ◽

Film Growth ◽

Substrate Orientation ◽

Thin Oxide Film ◽

Thin Oxide ◽

Kinetics Of

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Development of an Atomic Oxygen Source for Thin Oxide Film Formation

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-316-875 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 316 ◽

Author(s):

S. Inoue ◽

Y Kawagoe ◽

K. Yamanishi ◽

M. Tanaka

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Oxide Film ◽

Substrate Temperature ◽

Atomic Oxygen ◽

Film Formation ◽

Superconducting Film ◽

Silent Discharge ◽

Film Showing ◽

Thin Oxide Film ◽

Thin Oxide

ABSTRACTAtomic oxygen promotes the oxidation of thin films. The authors developed a silent discharge type atomic oxygen source for thin oxide film formation. The atomic oxygen source consists of a quartz discharge tube and two cylindrical electrodes that are attached to the outside wall of the tube. The atomic oxygen concentration is estimated to be 3%.The atomic oxygen source was installed in an ICB (Ionized Cluster Beam) apparatus and applied to the formation of Er-Ba-Cu-0 thin films. By introducing the atomic oxygen during deposition, a film showing superconductivity at 81K was obtained when the substrate temperature was 570ºC. Also the substrate temperature to obtain a film showing superconductivity at 77K was estimated to be 50 °C lower than that for obtaining superconducting film formation in an atmosphere of 6% ozone. The atomic oxygen source was also applied to SrTiO3 thin film formation. Electrical properties of this film were examined and compared with those of films prepared in an atmosphere of 6% ozone. The dielectric constant of SrTiO3 film was improved from 60 to 180 by introducing atomic oxygen instead of 6% ozone. Therefore the atomic oxygen source was proven to be advantageous for thin oxide film formation.

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