Influence of depth resolution on the interdiffusion data in thin film bilayer and multilayer Ag/Pd structures

This paper reports results of the interdiffusion studies in thin film Ag/Pd bilayer and multilayer structures, deposited onto the SiO2 and Cu substrates. Interdiffusion coefficients have been obtained from the changes of slopes of depth profiles at the interface of the two layers, from the rate of rise of diffusant concentration in the plateau region of the profile and from the change of the concentration distribution in the Ag/Pd multilayer structure. In all cases the depth resolution has been determined and its influence on the interdiffusion data has been studied. The values of the activation energy and the pre-exponential diffusivity term in the Arrhenius equation have been extrapolated to zero depth. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.