Chemical effects in ion beam mixing of Fe-Al multilayers

Fe-Al multilayers have been mixed with Xe+ ions at high temperatures. The composition depth profiles have been analyzed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). It is shown that SIMS reveals the Al-rich compound formation inside the initial Al layers, and that this point cannot be questioned by exaltation effect on Fe+ or Al+ ion intensities. Phase formation has been proved by X-ray diffraction at grazing incidence