Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure

J. Phys. IV France 7 (1997) C2-1149-C2-1150
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:19972167

XAS Study on the Intermediate Species Formed During the Surface Oxidation of CrN Films

F. Esaka¹, K. Furuya¹, H. Shimada², M. Imamura², N. Matsubayashi², T. Sato¹, A. Nishijima², T. Kikuchi³, A. Kawana⁴ and H. Ichimura<sup>4

1</sup>  Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Science University of Tokyo, 1-3, Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162, Japan
²  National Institute of Materials and Chemical Research, 1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan
³  Science University of Tokyo in Yamaguchi, 1-1-1, Daigakudori, Onoda, Yamaguchi 756, Japan
⁴  Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., 3-18-5, Nakakokubun, Ichikawa, Chiba 272, Japan

Abstract
XAS was applied to the identification of the intermediate species formed during the surface oxidation of CrN films. The N K-edge XAS spectra indicated formation of an intermediate species which gave a feature at 401.4 eV. A high resolution XAS spectrum exhibited that the feature at 401.4 eV has the same vibration splitting as that of gaseous N₂. It was also found that the species assigned to molecular N₂ occurred in the interstitial position of the surface oxide layer in the oxidized films. The result implied the importance of high energy resolution XAS in the field of material science.

© EDP Sciences 1997