Diffusion of indium atoms into iridium through an intermediate graphite monolayer

Peculiar features of diffusion of indium atoms into iridium through a graphite monolayer have been revealed for the first time by thermodesorption spectroscopy. The most intense diffusion of indium into iridium has occurred in the Ir(111)-C[plain] system at 1400 K < T < 1600 K. The fractions of the fluxes of intercalation and diffusion delta(In) = N (dif)/N = 2 x 10(-3) indium atoms in the Ir(111)-C system have been found. It has been demonstrated that the amount of intercalated and diffused indium depends on the electrical field, i.e., on the positive potential in the Ir(111)-C system. A noticeable diffusion of indium into iridium started at 200 V and increased up to 2500 V. The activation energies for indium diffusion into and from iridium have been determined to be E (n1) = 5.05 +/- 0.05 eV and E (n1) = 5.4 +/- 0.1 eV, respectively.