Effect of electron irradiation on the oxidation of indium

The oxidation kinetics of indium is studied for two cases, namely, during continuous electron irradiation (E _p = 1800 eV) and without electron irradiation, as a function of the time of exposure to an oxygen medium at a partial oxygen pressure of 10⁻⁴ Pa and room temperature. The initial oxygen exposure was 50 L. The kinetic curves recorded upon continuous electron irradiation have two inflection points, and they can be attributed to the following three states of oxidation: physical adsorption, chemisorption with the formation of a nonstoichiometric oxide layer, and the growth of a homogeneous oxide layer. Only the first inflection point is observed during oxidation without electron irradiation, and further exposure does not lead to the second inflection point within the experimental time.