A Submicron Sectioning Technique for Analyzing Diffusion Specimens of Tantalum and Niobium

Abstract

A microsectioning technique for tantalum and niobium was successfully used to remove uniform sections of metal less than 100 Å in thickness from the surface. The technique, based on the formation and subsequent stripping of an anodic oxide film, is presently used to study diffusion phenomena in these metals. The apparent sensitivity is sufficient for low-temperature diffusivity measurements in reasonable times. It may also be possible to describe more quantitatively previously reported ``anomalous'' diffusion behavior near the metal surface. The present paper considers the details of the experimental technique and presents some typical diffusivity data for the diffusion of Nb95 in tantalum.