Oxidation of nickel surfaces by low energy ion bombardment

We have studied formation of oxides on Ni surfaces by low energy oxygen bombardment using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Different oxidation states of Ni ions have been identified in XPS spectra measured around Ni 2p and O 1s core-levels. We have compared our results with thermal oxidation of Ni and shown that ion bombardment is more efficient in creating thin oxide films on Ni surfaces. The dominant Ni-oxide in both oxidation processes is NiO (Ni2+ oxidation state), while some Ni2O3 contributions (Ni3+ oxidation state) are still present in all oxidised samples. The oxide thickness of bombarded Ni samples, as determined by SIMS, was shown to be related to the penetration depth of oxygen ions in Ni.