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 400 degrees C and Ar+ ion irradiation time. The use of both ultra-thin (less than or equal to 4 nm) and thick (similar to 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 Ar+ bombardment was also shown together with the radiation enhanced electrical conductivity of the damaged depth in films annealed at temperature lower than 300 degrees C containing organic species. The irradiation defects in the gel were also shown to be very chemically reactive for atmospheric OH- groups. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.