An apparatus for ion-beam-sputtering is described which offers for the first time the possibility of measuring radiotracer diffusion profiles with mean diffusion length (Dt) 1/2 (D is the tracer diffusion coefficient and t is the diffusion time) in the nano-as well as in the micrometre range. It is also possible to use the device for ion milling, especially for the deposition of thin layers of radiotracer onto diffusion samples. Investigations of diffusion in pure metals, in a metallic glass, in a compound semiconductor and in intermetallic compounds are presented as examples.

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Results on the temperature and pressure dependence of Ge diffusion in pure aluminium are reported. Radiotracer methods in combination with serial sectioning by microtome are employed in our experiments. Oxide hold‐up effects are avoided either by ion implantation of 71Ge or by sputtercleaning of the aluminium samples prior to evaporation of a thin 71Ge layer. Ge is a normal diffuser in aluminium with an activation enthalpy of 119.4 kJ/mol and a pre‐exponential factor of 3.39 × 10−5 m2 s−1. The activation volumes (1.16Ω at 763 K, 1.24Ω at 841 K; Ω denotes the atomic volume) indicate that Ge diffusion proceeds via vacancies. The results are discussed together with work on several other solute diffusers with emphasis on recent studies from our laboratory.