Kinetics and mechanism of reaction at room temperature in thin Au/metal couples

Abstract The reaction kinetics of compound formation at room temperature in thin film Au/Me (Me = Al, Cd, Ga, In, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn) couples have been investigated by X-ray diffraction. The decrease in the (111) diffraction peak of gold or of the metal, or the increase in the diffraction peak of the corresponding compound, has been followed as a function of time. These reactions were found to be diffusion controlled. The interdiffusion coefficients have been calculated for the investigated couples and the relation D = 3.66 × 10-11 exp(-0.015Tt) has been found to exist between the diffusion coefficient D(cm2s-1) and the melting temperature Tt(K) of the metal.