Pulsed laser deposition of thin PrxOy films on Si(1 0 0)

PrxOy thin films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on Si(1 0 0) surfaces. The chemical composition of layers with different thickness was investigated using core level (Pr 3d, O 1s, Si 2p) X-ray photoelectron emission spectroscopy (XPS). The line shape analysis of emission spectra does not indicate any interfacial mixing but suggests the formation of a silicate (Si–O–Pr) at the PrxOy/Si interface. Although Pr6O11 was used as target material, XPS spectra have shown that the PrxOy films consist of two Pr-oxides (Pr2O3, Pr6O11). The intensity ratio of the two Pr-oxides did not change with increasing film thickness but the Pr and O core levels are slightly shifted toward lower binding energy. Using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) we found a much too high O/Pr intensity ratio for PrxOy layers grown at room temperature. For layers grown at 650 °C the ratio was within the expected range.