SEGREGATION BEHAVIOR OF SULFUR, OXYGEN AND PHOSPHORUS AT THE (100) SURFACE OF IRON SINGLE-CRYSTAL

The segregation behavior of sulfur, oxygen and phosphorus at the (100) surface of the iron single crystal, the bulk sulfur concentration of which had been adjusted to 23-66 ppm, was investigated by using AES (Auger electron spectroscopy)-LEED (low-energy electron diffraction) from the segregation kinetic point of view. The activation energy of the segregation rate increased as the bulk sulfur concentration decreased. This is because sulfur is trapped by the impurities such as manganese and magnesium which have strong affinity for sulfur, and this effect becomes more pronounced as the bulk sulfur concentration decreases.