Bimetallic multilayers Al/Cr, Al/Fe and Cr/Fe were analysed as the first step in the formation of the complex metallic alloy Al4(Cr,Fe). The films were deposited by triode sputtering with a total thickness of about 250nm and consisted of 6 layers. Annealing was performed in vacuum at 240 to 650C. The depth distributions of elements in the films annealed at various temperatures were measured using Auger electron spectroscopy. Detailed analysis of the profile was conducted using the MRI model, which takes into account interface broadening of the measured profile due to three reasons: ion-induced atom mixing, roughness, and information depth of analysed electrons. Thus, the true depth profile of the as-deposited samples and profiles of the annealed samples were reconstructed, and that permitted the extraction of the diffusion coefficients.

Analysis of the Diffusion Processes in Al/Cr, Al/Fe and Cr/Fe Multilayers using the MRI Model. M.Čekada, M.Panjan, D.Cimprič, J.Kovač, P.Panjan, J.Dolinšek, A.Zalar: Vacuum, 2009, 84[1], 147-51