A model is set up for the diffusion from a source of finite thickness into an adjacent second phase of semi‐infinite extent. With the principal assumption of no diffusion in or out of the system, a solution is obtained for the diffusion profile in the second phase. It is also assumed that the diffusion coefficients are independent of concentration, but segregation at the inter‐phase boundary is taken into account and so also, to a first approximation, is the possibility of precipitation or reaction at the interface. The model predicts a change in the profile from an ERFC to Gaussian shape depending on whether the diffusion length in the source is much less than or much greater than its thickness, i.e., as the diffusion time increases.The theoretical predictions of the model are compared to tracer diffusion results from phosphorus doped anodic oxide sources on silicon. These experiments were carried out with unprotected (no undoped
SiO2
film covering the source) oxide sources in a sealed quartz tube. Thus the phosphorus initially lost by out‐diffusion could not escape from the system altogether, and it is shown that these conditions approximated the boundary condition of no out diffusion. The diffusion results obtained in this way are in agreement with the model.