Title: The effect of varying oxidising conditions for transformation of metallic cerium to cerium oxide films

Authors: A.R.M. Zabidi; Z. Hassan; W.F. Lim

Addresses: Institute of Nano Optoelectronics Research and Technology (INOR), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia ' Institute of Nano Optoelectronics Research and Technology (INOR), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia ' Institute of Nano Optoelectronics Research and Technology (INOR), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: A direct current (DC) sputtering technique was conducted to deposit metallic cerium (Ce) films on n-type Si (100) substrates. Post-sputter oxidation at 800ºC in dry oxidation, nitrogen/oxygen/nitrogen and wet oxidation conditions for 30 min successfully transformed the as-deposited Ce films to cerium oxide (CeO₂) films. The innovation of this study was to investigate the effect of varying the oxidising condition on structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties. The crystalline phase and orientation of the CeO₂ cubic structure were characterised by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and no observable defect was detected from the surface morphology of the CeO₂ films. The changes in lattice parameters were related to the changes in Ce composition due to different oxidising conditions. The acquisition of larger crystallite size was achieved by CeO₂ films grown in nitrogen/oxygen/nitrogen due to the inclusion of nitrogen ions. In addition, CeO₂ films grown in nitrogen/oxygen/nitrogen attained the lowest current density, J.

Keywords: cerium; CeO₂; dry oxidation; nitrogen; oxygen; current density.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2024.141760

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2024 Vol.21 No.4/5, pp.284 - 298

Published online: 01 Oct 2024 *

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