Formation of surface alloys and related applications

Slow entropy-driven diffusion at ordinary temperatures opens an opportunity to produce an alloy with a certain concentration of the depositing element on the surface of a material. Experimental evidence exists to show that certain bulk immiscible elements can also form surface alloys. Since surface alloying is a promising process for modifying the surface properties of a material, the development of surface alloys is of considerable interest in various areas. In this article, the kinetics of surface alloy formations as well as related applications are reviewed. The determination of energy barriers for surface atoms in the alloying processes is discussed. Examples of applications include the semiconductor industry, magnetic recordings, heterogeneous catalysis, and energy production.