APFIM studies of compositional inhomogeneity in sputtered Co-Cr thin films

Atom probe analysis results of Co-22 at.% Cr bulk alloy and its thin films are presented. While no compositional inhomogeneity is detected from the bulk sample, a significant compositional fluctuation is present in the thin film specimen which is sputter deposited on a heated substrate. The concentration of the Cr enriched region is in the range of 30-40 at.% Cr, while that of the Cr depleted region is approximately 5 at.% Cr. Such compositional fluctuations are present within a grain. These results are in agreement with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results.>