REELS and Auger spectroscopy study of layers exchange in C/Ni-bilayer system

New experimental methods for synthesis of low dimensional carbon structures still attract considerable attention, many of them based on catalytically driven processes.
In this contribution we present REELS and Auger spectroscopy study of Ni-induced
layer exchange in Ni/C-bilayer thin film system. EELS spectroscopy in reflected
mode (REELS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were employed to characterize
the structure, homogeneity and quality of carbon and nickel film (each having
thickness around 50 nm) and their interface between, before and after thermal annealing
at 700 °C. AES mapping and depth profiling revealed a layer exchange
between the layers after thermal annealing, accompanied by partial nickel diffusion
into MgO substrate. REELS analysis showed successful structural transformation
of initially amorphous carbon layer into compact graphitic one. The transformed carbon
layer has a slightly rippled surface as confirmed by topological backscattered
electron imaging.