H2O-induced instability of Al2O3/Ni3Al(110) and Al2O3/Ni3Al(111) thin films under non-UHV conditions

摘要

Al2O3 films, 7 Angstrom thick, grown on Ni3Al(I 10), undergo severe reconstruction and loss of long range order upon exposure to H2O at pressures above similar to10(-5) Torr at 300 K. The reconstruction process begins at the oxide surface, not the oxide/metal interface and is not associated with formation of a UHV-stable hydroxide phase. Similar exposures to O-2 have no effect. Al2O3 films of similar thickness grown on Ni3Al(I 11) also reconstruct, but at longer exposure times at equal pressures. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.