V13O16 phase and the thickness dependence of the V3Si formation rate in SiO2/V reactions

The reactions of thin V films with either thermally grown or electron-gun evaporated SiO2 in the temperature range of 650–950 °C in vacuum have been studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and glancing angle x-ray diffraction. V had identical reaction properties, such as reaction starting temperatures, reaction products, reaction rates, and reaction interface uniformities, with these two kinds of SiO2. The reactions resulted in a layer of V-rich silicide V3Si formed next to and a layer of V oxide V13O16 further away from the SiO2/V reaction interface. The formation rate for the V3Si layer increased with the thickness of the original V film.