Author: James Black

Publisher:

Published: 1968

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13:

The activation energy for the mass transport of aluminum by momentum exchange with conducting electrons has been obtained and equations relating temperature, current density and film structure to conductor life are presented. The activation energy for the reaction appears to be identical to that for the lattice self-diffusion of aluminum modified by factors involving both surface diffusion and grain boundary diffusion of aluminum in aluminum. These latter two factors can be important in films formed by the condensation of aluminum vapor. A method for determining the activation energy for the growth of etch pits into silicon normal to the 111 plane by the solid state diffusion of silicon into aluminum is presented. Studies made on the reduction of silica by aluminum films are described. It is noted that the reaction is rate limited under the aluminum film by the formation of a continuous barrier of aluminum oxide which effectively separates the two reactants. However, the reaction is free to take place at the edges of aluminum stripes where an effective barrier is not formed.