Electronic theory of surface segregation in CuNi alloys

A calculation of the surface composition of CuNi alloys based on their electronic properties is proposed. Without any adjustable parameters, the theory predicts a surface enrichment in Cu quite consistent with the experimental results. Bulk and surface local densities of states are also given.     

A Monte Carlo study of surface segregation in alloys

The Monte Carlo method has been applied to the study of surface segregation in a multi-layer, regular solution model of alloy surfaces. Three different alloy configurations have been investigated: semi-infinite slabs, thin films and small particles. The results show that the alloy component with the lowest surface energy tends to segregate to the first three or four surface atom layers and that segregation is greater in clustering alloys than in ordering alloys. Furthermore, segregation is more pronounced in low coordination surfaces, as evidenced by a comparison of {110} and {100}-oriented surfaces of fcc alloys. The degree of surface segregation in thin films and small particles (in the particle size range studied) tends to be smaller than in semi-infinite slabs, because of mass conservation constraints, and decreases with decreasing film thickness and particle size. The results obtained are contrasted with previous calculations and possible avenues for improving surface segregation models are discussed.     

Indium-indium pair correlation and surface segregation in InGaAs alloys

In-In pair correlations and In surface segregation in In xGa 1-xAs alloys are studied by first-principles total-energy calculations. By calculating the substitution energy of a single In atom, we find that the near-surface energetics explains the observed In segregation on InGaAs(001)-beta2(2x4) surfaces. Indium surface segregation further enhances the In site selectivity, thus the long-range ordering. We find that the [110] and [001] In-In pair correlations are repulsive and nearly isotropic in bulk but are highly anisotropic near the (001) surface. The sign of the [110] In-In interaction energies vs the distance from the surface is oscillatory. These findings explain the recent puzzling cross-sectional x-STM results.     

ToF atom-probe fim investigation of surface segregation in dilute alloys

A time-of-flight atom-probe field ion microscope was successfully employed for the first time to investigate surface segregation in dilute alloys. We were able to achieve a single atomic layer resolution and obtained the absolute concentrations of alloy species of each surface layer. Cr atoms are found to segregate to the surface of Stainless Steel 410 whereas no segregation of the minority species was found for Pt-8% W and Pt-5% Ru. The first layer concentration of Cr in the {110} plane of Stainless Steel 410 at 500°C was found to be 38.5 ± 12.5% and 63.4 ± 10.2% respectively for samples with near surface layers Cr average concentration of 6.3 ± 2.1% and 11.9 ± 2.5%. The heat of segregation of Cr to the {110} plane of Stainless 410 was found to be 3.43 and 3.92 kcal/mole respectively from the two sets of data. The data also gives the difference in surface tensions between iron and chromium at this plane to be 269 and 282 erg/cm² respectively. Segregation studies on the {012} plane as well as on a grain boundary of Stainless Steel 410 were also done. In some cases, though the first surface layer is enriched with Cr in Stainless Steel 410, the near surface layers show a depletion of Cr. In Pt-8% W and Pt-5% Ru, our concentration depth profiles with a single atomic layer resolution show no segregation or depletion of the minority species either for the top layers or for the near surface layers.     

Study of a surface critical phenomenon associated with surface segregation in Cu---Ag alloys

This paper presents a modified regular solution formalism for surface segregation in substitutional alloys which distinguishes between bond energies at the surface and in the bulk of a solid solution. The differences between surface and bulk energies are ascribed to strain energy effects associated with misfitting solutes. Experimental measurements of surface composition on (111) surfaces of Cu---Ag alloys dilute in Ag are reported and show the existence of a surface phase transition, which manifests itself as an abrupt surface composition change at temperatures below 788 K. Similar measurements on (100) surfaces show no comparable critical phenomena down to temperatures as low as 523 K, indicating a strong anisotropic behavior of the surface phase transition. The data are compared with the model to obtain model-based estimates of the surface critical temperatures and the surface regular solution constants for both surface orientations.     

The chemical potential in surface segregation calculations: AgPd alloys

We put forward a technique for calculating the surface segregation profile in substitutional disordered alloys. The surface internal energy and the effective bulk and surface chemical potentials are calculated using the full charge density exact muffin-tin orbitals method, combined with the coherent potential approximation. The application of our approach is demonstrated to the close-packed surface of Ag_cPd_1−c random alloys with 0 < c < 1. The surface concentration profile, surface energy and segregation energy are investigated as functions of bulk composition. The present results are compared with former theoretical and experimental data. It is found that at low temperature, Ag segregates to the surface layer for the entire bulk composition range. At 0 K, the subsurface layer contains 100% Pd for c ? 0.4, and somewhat more than (2c − 1) Ag in alloys with c > 0.5. The temperature dependence of the segregation profile is significant for Pd rich alloys and for alloys with intermediate concentrations. At temperatures ?600 K, the subsurface layer is obtained to be almost bulk like.     

Reversed surface segregation in palladium-silver alloys due to hydrogen adsorption

It is well known that silver segregates to the surface of pure and ideal Pd–Ag alloy surfaces. By first-principles band-structure calculations it is shown in this paper how this may be changed when hydrogen is adsorbed on a Pd–Ag(1 1 1) surface. Due to hydrogen binding more strongly to palladium than to silver, there is a clear energy gain from a reversal of the surface segregation. Hydrogen-induced segregation may provide a fundamental explanation for the hydrogen or reducing treatments that are required to activate hydrogen-selective membrane or catalyst performance.     

A method for the study of surface segregation in multicomponent alloys

A simple algorithm for the determination of segregation profiles in multicomponent systems based on a mean field formalism and a quantum approximate method for the energetics is introduced. The method is described and applied to two ternary systems, concentrating on the changes in segregation patterns relative to the corresponding binary cases.     

Tight-binding Ising-model study of chemisorption effects on surface segregation in transition-metal alloys

The tight-binding Ising model is generalized for the system consisting of a transition-metal alloy with chemisorbed adatoms. The effect of chemisorption on the surface segregation is calculated within the scope of a semi-infinite linear chain model for hydrogen chemisorbed on a Cu-Ni alloy. The charge-neutrality condition is incorporated into the model and its effect on the calculated surface segregation is demonstrated.     

Electronic theory of the chemisorption effect on surface segregation in transition-metal alloys

The tight-binding Ising model generalized for a system consisting of a transition-metal alloy with chemisorbed adatoms is used to calculate the effect of hydrogen chemisorption on surface segregation in a Cu---Ni alloy. The simple model of chemisorption and of the band structure of the alloy is assumed. The charge-neutrality condition is incorporated into the model.     

Correlation of surface segregation with bulk diffusion for binary metal alloys

Previous treatments of surface segregation in metal alloys have all failed in some systems, due either to inadequacies in the theories or in the thermochemical data. A new model is proposed here using only alloy diffusion data. Predicted surface compositions agree quantitatively with ISS measurements and qualitatively AES results.     

Localised surface segregation and martensite nucleation in noble metal based ternary alloys

A recent model connecting martensite nucleation with localised surface segregation phenomena is extended to dilute ternary alloys based on -CuZn and -AuCd. Experimental data about composition induced variations of the critical temperature for the onset of martensitic transformation are organised in a coherent fashion by the atomistic Valence Electron Localisation Degree variation model. An analysis of the surface segregation properties of the original and effective alloys involved in micro nucleation events of martensite is performed by a model relying upon charge transfer effects. It is concluded that martensite nucleation may be interpreted in terms of preferential, localised surface segregation events.Preliminary results of the research were presented at the Discussion Meeting on CuZnAl Martensite Shape Memory Alloys, 19–21 June 1984, Leuven, Belgium     

A quantitative analysis of surface segregation and in-depth profile of copper-nickel alloys

By utilizing the difference in escape length of the Auger electrons with different energies, a calculation of the in-depth distribution of atomic concentration at the surface is presented on the basis of Palmberg's physical mechanism. Experimental results on clean surfaces of Cu-Ni alloys over the entire composition region with Auger spectroscopy were performed to make the in-depth profile of surface composition caused by annealing. The alloy composition of the first atomic layer at the surface was plotted against the bulk composition, showing significant enric enrichment of Cu atoms in that layer. The results indicated that the segregation takes place in about four atomic layers at the surface.     

An effect of phonons on the surface segregation of random binary alloys

We have calculated the Einstein temperatures of the alloy surface as a function of composition employing the self-consistent Einstein model. The Einstein temperatures are found to vary almost linearly with surface and bulk compositions. Based upon these calculations,we have estimated the phonon contribution to the surface segregation of CuNi and NiPt alloys.