Gd2O3 Nanostructured Thin Films Analyzed by XPS

The present work was devoted to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) investigation of the principal core levels of a nanostructured Gd2O3 thin film. The sample was synthesized by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) from Gd((iPrN)2CNMe2)3 as precursor at 500 °C in an N2/O2 atmosphere. XPS results evidenced a marked Gd2O3 reactivity towards atmospheric CO2 and H2O, leading to a surface composition characterized by the co-presence of gadolinium carbonates/bicarbonates and hydroxides.