How to measure accurately mass transport in thin films by AES

In this paper, we show that AES is a powerful technique to determine mass transport in thin films with model metal/metal thin-layer structures (for systems without any compound formation). We show the conditions where grain boundary and/or bulk diffusion coefficients can be determined accurately at unusually low temperatures by monitoring the surface segregation kinetics of an impurity through a nanocrystalline film using the Hwang–Balluffi approach (systems with total solubility), and the dissolution of ultrathin deposits in a matrix using a model based on Martin's kinetic deterministic equations (systems with total solubility). Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.