Auger lines relative intensities as a tool for the characterizing of oxides formed during the oxidation of single crystals of dilute Cu‐Mn alloys

During the oxidation process of dilute Cu-Mn alloys, different oxides (MnO, Mn//3O//4, Mn//2O//3, MnO//2, Cu//2O, CuO) may appear. Determination of the nature of these oxides is possible by examination of both oxygen and metallic elements spectra. For Mn and its oxides, we used for a better accuracy the amplitude ratio of the Mn//L//3 //M//2//,//3 M//4//,//5 (with only one valence level) and Mn//L//3 //M//2//,//3 transitions. For oxygen, the KL1 L1 Auger line also has very poor Auger yield and we preferred to measure the HO//K//L//2//,//3 //L//2//,//3 ratio for the different oxides. A statistical treatment of experimental data collected on standard oxides of well known stoichiometry (Cu//2O, CuO, MnO and Mn//3O//4) has given a set of values for the Auger amplitude ratios suitable for determining the compounds formed on the surface during oxidation of dilute 3-10 at% Cu-Mn alloys. The growth mode of these different oxides is also tentatively presented for the following oxidation conditions: p equals 10** minus **4 Torr O//2, T equals 700 degree C.SCOPUS: ar.jFLWNA