Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy study of the near surface region of the ternary Co-Cr-Mo alloy

Nature of the characteristic electron energy losses in the second electron emission spectra from the ternary Co-Cr-Mo alloy surface are studied in the low energy range of the primary electron energy E₀. The main types of losses were found: surface and bulk plasmons and their hybrid modes, interband transitions and ionization losses. For Co, Cr, Mo and Co-Cr-Mo alloy the experimental values of the plasmon energy were established to be less than it was predicted by free-electron gas model. Excess of conductive electrons in the surface layers for Co, Cr and Mo was observed by dependence of the surface plasmon dispersion from E₀, while for Co-Cr-Mo alloy the situation is quit opposite. Such behavior is explained by the complex phase structure of the ternary alloy. The analysis of intensity lines of plasmons from E₀ showed deeply changed alloy profile. Ionization Spectroscopy was used for studying the alloy elements distributing on the depth. Mo atoms preferred segregation in the outermost layers of Co-Cr-Mo alloy and enrichment with Cr competitive atoms in underlayers is displayed.