Thin film interaction of aluminium and hafnium: influence of copper and silicon

Abstract The reaction between thin films of aluminium and hafnium, and the modifications to the reaction introduced by alloying additions of copper and silicon in the aluminium, have been examined using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Both copper and silicon produce a more parabolic dependence in the growth rate but have opposite effects on the activation energy and rate of growth and on the crystal structure of the single reaction product HfAl 3 . These results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of growth.