COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF INTERDIFFUSION IN SOME THIN-FILM METAL COUPLES AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE

The kinetics of room-temperature compound formation in thin film Cu-Me and Pd-Me (Me = Al, Bi, Cd, Ga, In, Pb, Sb, Sn, Te, Zn) metal couples and the relevant interdiffusion coefficients are presented. The results are compared with those previously published corresponding to Au-Me and Ag-Me couples. It is found that, for each couple, the interdiffusion coefficient is linearly related to the melting point of the low-melting metal. The highest rate of compound formation is observed for the metal couples with gold, followed in the order of decreasing reactivity by the couples with silver, copper and paladium.