Atomization of indium films under the action of atomic hydrogen

It was shown experimentally that indium films thermally deposited onto various supports in a vacuum are sputtered under the action of atomic hydrogen with the formation of volatile hydrides. InH molecules in the gas phase and at the surface of the sample are formed in excited states. The transition of excited molecules into the ground state is accompanied by an intense luminescence over the films in the visible spectrum. No luminescence was observed over massive indium crystals. This observation was accounted for hy distinctions in the catalytic activity and thermal properties of indium films and massive indium crystals. The rate of atomization under the action of atomic hydrogen for indium films was found to he much higher than that for copper and nickel films under the same conditions due to the formation of volatile hydrides. The experiments performed made it possible to refine the mechanism of heterogeneous chemical reaction at the gas-solid interface for active gaseous media. This mechanism is applicable to the action of atomic hydrogen on the In-Cc and In-Si systems, materials of considerable importance for semiconductor electronics.