Ion-beam mixing kinetics of Fe-Al multilayers studied by in situ electrical resistivity measurements

The ion-beam mixing of Fe-Al evaporated multiple-layer films has been investigated by measuring continuously the electrical resistivity of the samples during the bombardment. The experimental curves exhibit a tendency toward a saturation process and allow the determination of the critical dose corresponding to the total mixing of the multiple-layer film. The variations of the volume fraction of intermixed atoms as a function of the ion dose have been deduced and a semi-empirical model is proposed to explain the observed kinetics.