Surface oxidation of metals by oxygen ion bombardment

Surface oxidation of molybdenum, tungsten, niobium and tantalum by low-energy oxygen ion beams is investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Oxygen ion bombardment of molybdenum and tungsten surfaces leads to the formation of thin oxide films containing metals in oxidation states 4+, 5+ and 6+. At the initial stage of irradiation, rapid surface oxidation of molybdenum and tungsten was observed. At higher fluences the oxidation reaches saturation and the surface composition remains almost unchanged with increasing fluence. Oxygen ion bombardment of niobium and tantalum surfaces leads to the formation of thin oxide films containing niobium and tantalum in oxidation states 2+, 4+ and 5+. At the initial stage of irradiation, again rapid surface oxidation of niobium and tantalum was observed. At higher fluences the population of Nb2+ and Nb4+, Ta2+ and Ta4+ reaches a maximum and then begins to decrease. The population of Nb5+ and Ta5+ continues to increase and finally the entire oxide films consists of only Nb5+ and Ta5+, respectively.