SURFACE-DIFFUSION ACTIVATION-ENERGY DETERMINATION USING ION-BEAM MICROTEXTURING

The activation energy for impurity atom (adatom) surface diffusion can be determined from the temperature dependence of the spacing of sputter cones. These cones are formed on the surface during spouttering while simultaneously adding impurities. The impurities from clusters by means of surface diffusion, and these clusters in turn initiate cone formation. Values are presented for the surface diffusion activation energies for various materials on polycrystalline Cu, Al, Pb, Au, and Ni. The values for different impurity species on each of these substrates are approximately independent of impurity species within the experimental uncertainty, suggesting the absence of strong chemical bonding effects on the diffusion.