An ellipsometric study of the RF sputter oxidation of lead-indium alloys

An ellipsometer and an 13-MHz sputter-etch assembly with a separator measured the growth of thin oxide layers on pure lead and indium films. The equilibrium oxide thicknesses on indium are smaller than for lead, and the equilibrium time constants are longer; the RF power increases with oxide thicknesses. The difference between PbO and In2O3 relative to the dependence of oxide thickness on RF power can be explained by the oxide growth model of Greiner (1971), so that the diffusion lengths of oxygen ions are only slightly dependent on the RF voltage.