Layers of the oxides FeO, Fe30,, Fe203, Cr203 and M,03 were prepared by evaporation of the corresponding metal layers onto a preoxidized Si substrate and oxidation at elevated temperature. The oxidation was conducted under thermodynamically well-dehed conditions so that the pure oxide phases noted were obtained. The oxide layer thickness was calculated from the thickness of the initial metal film, which was determined by chemical analysis and from the frequency change of a quartz crystal upon evaporaton. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiles of the oxide layers were measured during Ar+ sputtering, and the sputter time necessary to reach the interface oxide/substrate was determined. The determination of this sputter time was not very exact, because the transition from oxide to substrate in the profile was rather gradual, owing to the r o u g h and crystalline chracter of the oxide layers that causes inhomogeneous sputtering. However, from the sputter time, oxide thickness and ion beam current, the sputter rates were obtained for the oxides noted (in nm PA-' cm-2 min-I) and were compared to the sputter rate of amorphous Ta20,, which is generally wed as the sputter reference standard. Considerable differences were found. The results will lead to more reliable determinations of oxide scale thicknesses by sputtering.