XPS study of amorphous zirconium oxide films prepared by sol–gel

Zirconium oxide gel films deposited by dip coating on Si substrates have been studied by XPS as a function of the annealing temperature between 150 to 4008C and Arq ion irradiation time. The use of both ultra-thin F4 nm.and thick ;100 nm.films allowed separation of chemical from charging shifts in the O1S and Zr3d binding energies. The preferential sputtering of C and O with respect to Zr under Arq bombardment was also shown together with the radiation enhanced electrical conductivity of the damaged depth in films annealed at temperature lower than 3008C containing organic species. The irradiation defects in the gel were also shown to be very chemically reactive for atmospheric OHy groups. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved