Glow-Discharge Oxidation of Freshly Evaporated Aluminum Films

Abstract

Glow-discharge-assisted oxide growth on the surface of freshly evaporated aluminum films at 14 °C is discussed with special attention to the preparation of tunnel junctions. It is shown that the rate of mass gain during the oxidation cannot be described by a single oxidation law covering the whole period of oxidation. The oxidation rate is found to depend only on the total current through the glow discharge; the applied voltage and oxygen pressure are not important.