In-situ GISAXS study on the oxidation behavior of liquid Ga on Ni(Cu)/Si substrates

Liquid Ga could be used as a flexible heat-transfer medium or contact medium in the synchrotron-radiation-based instruments. The chemical stability of liquid Ga on other metal surface determines the serviceability of liquid Ga. In this paper, the oxidation evolutions of liquid Ga on Ni and Cu substrates have been investigated by in-situ grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) as a function of substrate temperature. The liquid Ga on Ni and Cu substrates shows different oxidation behaviors. A successive and slower oxidation from oxide clusters to oxide layer takes place with temperature increasing from 25 to 190°C on the surface of the Ga/Ni/Si specimen, but a quick oxidation occurs on the entire surface of the Ga/Cu/Si specimen at the initial 25°C. The subsequent heating increases the surface roughness of both liquid Ga, but increases simultaneously the surface curvature of the Ga/Cu/Si specimen. The understanding of the substrate-dependent oxidation behavior of liquid Ga is beneficial to its application as a heat-transfer medium.