Surface composition analysis of Au-Cu alloy by micro-auger electron spectroscopy

Abstract The surface compositions of Au-Cu binary alloys are different from the bulk. The surfaces of the Au-Cu specimens covering all the bulk composition ranges are analyzed by a quantitative AES method. For the Au-Cu alloy surface compositions at room temperature, Au segregates at the surface within a layer of 5–6 A and Cu segregates in a deeper layer between 20–30 A, when the Au bulk compositions are from 40 to 90 at%. However, when the Au bulk compositions are over 90 at%, Cu always segregates in all the surface region. When the Au bulk compositions are less than 40 at%, Au always segregates in all the surface region.