Diffusion Reactions at Metal?oxide Interfaces: the Effect of an Applied Electric Field

This book describes experiments that have been carried out on a model metal?oxide interface to understand diffusion reactions and the effect of an external electric field across the interface. The author has focused on investigating the formation of a reaction phase, morphological changes, and redistribution of ions at the interface. It demonstrates that the morphology, the spatial distribution of ions, and consequently, the metal?oxide bonding can be substantially modified by annealing at elevated temperatures, and that the effect of annealing can be strongly enhanced or hindered by applying an electric field. Since metal?oxide adhesion and the fracture energy sensitively depend on the spatial distribution of atomic species and the interface morphology, the results presented in this book suggest that annealing - in particular under applied electric fields - can have profound effects on the technologically important properties of metal?oxide interfaces.