Kinetics of thermal transformations in nanosized chromium films

The transformations in nanosized chromium layers at different layer thicknesses ( d = 14–154 nm) and thermal treatment temperatures ( T = 673–873 K) were studied by optical spectroscopy, microscopy, and gravimetry. The kinetic curves of conversion at different chromium film thicknesses and treatment temperatures are well approximated by the linear, inverse logarithmic, cubic, and logarithmic functions. The contact potential difference for Cr and Cr 2 O 3 films and photo-emf for Cr-Cr 2 O 3 systems were measured. An energy band diagram of Cr-Cr 2 O 3 systems was constructed. A model of thermal transformation was constructed for Cr films that included the stages of oxygen adsorption, charge carrier redistribution in the contact field of Cr-Cr 2 O 3 , and chromium(III) oxide formation.