Preparation of Ce1−xGdxO2−0.5x thin films by UV assisted sol–gel method

In this work an UV assisted Sol–Gel process has been successfully developed for preparation of thin films of Ce1−xGdxO2−0.5x (CGO) on dense and porous substrates, is reported. Crystallisation behaviour, chemical composition and microstructure of the CGO films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, EDX and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of deposition parameters on the thin film growth have also been investigated using three dense substrates, Si (100), stainless steel and Quartz. However, it is required to modify the surface of the porous substrate (porous CGO) in order to prevent the sol–gel precursor from infiltrating into the pores due to capillary force. It is also important to prevent thin films from cracking and forming a particle structure due to surface roughness. The application of mutillayer by UV-radiation assisted sol–gel method has deposited uniform, non-porous CGO thin films on porous substrates and has effectively overcome the problems.