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Surface oxidation of niobium metal has been studied under pulsed UV laser (λ=308 nm) exposure at one atmosphere of oxygen. Diffusion apears to dominate this laser-pulsed thermal chemistry (LPTC) reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a range of niobium oxidation states Nb+5, Nb+4, Nb+2, and Nb metal from the surface to the bulk, respectively. LPTC oxidation depth increases monotonically with repeated laser irradiation unlike infrared laser-induced pulsed plasma chemistry, which is self-limiting. Possible electronic contributions to the LPTC process are considered as well as effects due to surface crystal orientation.
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Marks et al. (1984) studied this question.
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