Reaction paths and kinetics of aluminide formation in Al/epitaxial-W(001) model diffusion barrier systems
Single‐crystal bcc W(001) layers, 140 nm thick, were grown on MgO(001) substrates by ultrahigh‐vacuum (UHV) magnetron sputter deposition at Ts=600 °C. Al overlayers, 190 nm thick with strong (001) and (011) preferred orientation and an average grain size of 200 nm, were then deposited at Ts=100 °C without breaking vacuum. Changes in bilayer sheet resistance Rs were monitored continuously as a function of time ta and temperature Ta during UHV annealing. In addition, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning TEM, in which cross‐sectional specimens were analyzed by energy‐dispersive x‐ray analysis with a 1 nm resolution, were used to follow area‐averaged and local interfacial reaction paths as well as microstructural changes as a function of annealing conditions. The initial reaction products were discontinuous regions of monoclinic‐structure WAl4 which exhibit a crystallographic relationship with the underlying W layer. bcc WAl12 forms at...
Reaction of thin Ni films with Ge : Phase formation and texture
The solid-state reaction between a 30-nm-thick Ni film and Ge substrates was investigated using in situ x-ray diffraction, diffuse light scattering, and four-point probe electrical measurements. Our results reveal that Ni5Ge3 and NiGe appear consecutively on Ge(111) while they grow simultaneously on amorphous Ge(α-Ge) and Ge(001). Furthermore, phase formation temperatures depend strongly on the nature of the substrate being the lowest on α-Ge and the highest on Ge(111). X-ray pole figure measurements of the NiGe phase obtained from the reaction with an amorphous substrate indicate a completely random texture while several epitaxial and axiotaxial texture components are observed on both Ge(001) and Ge(111). The texturing for the NiGe film on Ge(111), which showed a sequential phase formation, is an order of magnitude more pronounced than for the film on Ge(001) which showed a simultaneous growth.
Evaluation of antioxidants by a rapid polarographic method
A simple, rapid, precise, and reproducible method and an adaptable apparatus for polarographic measurement of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity is described. This method measures antioxidant activity within a few min time as compared to the hours or days needed for several widely used methods. Peroxidation rates were measured for different lipids as a function of amount of lipid, and amount of biocatalyst. The method is applicable to the detection and measurement of the antioxidant effects exhibited by weak antioxidants and has been satisfactorily used for the measurement of the antioxidant activity of different concentrations of powerful antioxidants.