Metal/InP thin film reactions: Studies using mass and energy dispersive recoil spectrometry

Abstract Preliminary results are presented from a study of transition metal/lnP reactions using mass and energy dispersive recoil spectrometry. 50 nm films of Ni, Pd and Pt were evaporated on InP substrates, heat treated in vacuum and subsequently analysed with X-ray diffraction and mass and energy dispersive recoil spectrometry using 77 MeV 127 I 10+ ions as projectiles. The unique information on the elemental distributions in the surface layers which can be obtained using the latter technique has allowed us to follow the progress of the solid state reactions. These reactions are quite different for the three metals studied, with significant P loss in the Pd/InP case.