THE APPLICATION OF SURFACE TECHNIQUES IN UNDERSTANDING CORROSION PHENOMENA AND MECHANISMS

This paper summarizes some of the work at the NRC on the application of surface-analytical techniques to characterize both thin (similar to 2 nm) passive oxide films and thick(> 1 mu m) oxides formed at high temperature. The techniques of AES, XPS, SIMS, Mossbauer, RHEED, X-ray analysis, EELS and TEM are considered. Emphasis is placed on iron and nickel passivity, chloride incorporation into films, air stability of films on iron and iron-chromium alloys, and the mechanism of high temperature oxide growth on nickel, iron, chromium, iron-chromium, and alumina formers. Studies on silicon, gallium arsenide and indium phosphide are also included. The often complementary information provided by the various techniques leads to a better understanding of corrosion and oxidation phenomena of both metals and semiconductors.