Characterization of poly- and single-crystal uranium–molybdenum alloy thin films

Abstract

Poly- and single-crystal thin films of U–Mo alloys have been grown both on glass and sapphire substrates by ultra-high vacuum magnetron sputtering. X-ray and Electron Backscatter Diffraction data indicate that for single-crystal U1−xMox alloys, the pure cubic uranium γ-phase exists for x≥0.22 (10wt.% Mo). Below 10wt.% Mo concentration, the resulting thin film alloys exhibited a mixed α–γ uranium phase composition.