SIMS and AES Studies of Ni-Zn Alloys

Ni-Zn alloy is one of good corrosion resistant materials [1]. Since the alloy with low Ni composition has several times resistance to corrosion in comparison with Zn, the electrodeposited alloys on steel sheets are being used for automobiles [2]. Preferential sputtering and oxygen-induced enhancement of ion formation are important problems in applications of SIMS to studies of alloys. The former leads to enrichment of one constituent of binary alloys. The latter has two factors, changes in the surface composition and the electronic structures of atoms on oxygen incorporation . Ion yield of a constituent for binary alloys depends upon the surface composition, the ionization probability, and the sputter yield if experimental conditions are kept constant. Therefore, SIMS measurements combined with AES are required in order to characterize alloy surfaces.