Comparison of hydrogen transport through thin metal, Si and oxide layers

Hydrogen radicals can cause fracture and damage of bulk materials and thin films due to their high diffusivity in these systems. In order to find protective layers that can block H diffusion, the hydrogen transport through thin layers should be measured. A thin yttrium film proved to be an effective sensor for atomic hydrogen. It enables the comparison of hydrogen transport through different materials by coating a Y film with a thin layer of a material of interest. A protective Pd thin layer should be added on top of the structure to increase the adsorption of hydrogen on the surface and to mitigate the influence of contamination. Using such a Pd/Ma/Y structure, where material Ma = Ru, Mo, Cu, Ag, Si, SiO2, Al2O3, the time of hydrogen transport through the Ma layer was measured and a qualitative comparison of hydrogen dynamics in different materials was made.