Diffusion Reactions at Metal-Oxide Interfaces

This book describes experiments that have beencarried out on a model metal-oxide interface tounderstand diffusion reactions and the effect of anexternal electric field across the interface. Theauthor has focused on investigating the formation ofa reaction phase morphological changes andredistribution of ions at the interface. Itdemonstrates that the morphology the spatialdistribution of ions and consequently themetal-oxide bonding can be substantially modified byannealing at elevated temperatures and that theeffect of annealing can be strongly enhanced orhindered by applying an electric field. Sincemetal-oxide adhesion and the fracture energysensitively depend on the spatial distributionof atomic species and the interface morphology theresults presented in this book suggest thatannealing - in particular under applied electricfields - can have profound effects on thetechnologically important properties of metal-oxideinterfaces.