XPS characterization of the electrochemically generated O species on a Au electrode evaporated on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 (100)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to study the electrochemically generated oxygen species on a gold surface which was evaporated on an yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) (100) single crystal solid electrolyte. It was found that electrochemical oxygen pumping to the gold electrode surface, causes the formation of two oxygen chemisorbed states. Their binding energies, ranging between 528.8–529.2 and 530.2–531.2 eV, are affected by the Au surface treatment (Ar+ sputtering) and the existence of preadsorbed OHad radicals.