Interaction between chromium oxide and chromium silicide

We have used x-ray induced photoemission spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to study the chemical reaction between Cr 2O3 and CrSi2. We observed that upon annealing a Cr film on a Si substrate at 550°C to form CrSi2, the native chromium surface oxide will decompose while a film of SiO2 will form when the CrSi2 growth front reaches the Cr2O3.