Oxidation of Zr and thin (0.2–4 nm) Zr films on Ag: an ESCA investigation

The oxidation of polycrystalline Zr under 10−8-10−3 mbar oxygen pressure in the temperature range 25 °–350 ° C is obtained from ESCA experiments. Changes in the ESCA spectra for thin Zr films on Ag oxidized at 250 ° C are observed and compared to the bulk Zr-metal. Thin Ag overlayers on Zr show a catalytic increase of the room temperature oxidation of Zr.