In situ transmission electron microscopy studies of the kinetics of Pt-Mo alloy diffusion in ZrB2 thin films

• Using in situ high-temperature (1073–1173 K) transmission electron microscopy, we investigated the thermal stability of Pt and Mo in contact with polycrystalline ZrB2 thin films deposited on Al 2O3(0001). During annealing, we observed the diffusion of cubic-structured Pt1− x Mo x (with x = 0.2 ± 0.1) along the length of the ZrB2 layer. From the time-dependent increase in diffusion lengths, we determined that the Pt1− x Mo x does not react with ZrB2, but diffuses along the surface with a constant temperature-dependent velocity. We identify the rate-limiting step controlling the observed phenomenon as the flux of Mo atoms with an associated activation barrier of 3.8 ± 0.5 eV.

Keyword

TECHNOLOGY

TEKNIKVETENSKAP

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art (subject category)