Modifications of local structures of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} on incorporation of SiO{sub 2}

Journal Article · Thu Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3642083· OSTI ID:22038706

Das, N C; Sahoo, N K; Bhattacharyya, D; Thakur, S ^[1]; Nanda, D ^[2]; Hazra, S; Bal, J K ^[3]; Lee, J F; Tai, Y L; Hsieh, C A ^[4]

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1. Applied Spectroscopy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085 (India)
2. Coolant Systems Laboratory, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452013 (India)
3. Surface Physics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India)
4. National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, 101 Hsin-Ann Road, Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan (China)

In the present work we have reported the results of investigations on local structures of e-beam evaporated (Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}-SiO{sub 2}) composite thin films by synchrotron based EXAFS measurements. The evolution of local structure in the case of the Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}-SiO{sub 2} system is found to be different from the HfO{sub 2}-SiO{sub 2} system reported by us earlier. The EXAFS analysis has shown that the Gd-O bond length decreases monotonically as SiO{sub 2} content in the films increases. Also the amplitudes of the peaks in the FT-EXAFS spectra of the samples, which depend jointly on the coordination numbers as well as the Debye-Waller factors (measure of disorder) are found to decrease monotonically with increase in SiO{sub 2} contents in the Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} matrix. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements of the samples also show continuous evolution of amorphous-like denser microstructure with increase in SiO{sub 2} content in the films. Hence incorporation of SiO{sub 2} in the Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} matrix, results in a continuous change in oxygen coordination yielding a change in the Gd-O bond length and also results in a continuous increase in amorphousness and a smoother morphology of the samples and, unlike the HfO{sub 2}-SiO{sub 2} system, does not show any maximum for a particular SiO{sub 2} concentration.

• OSTI ID: 22038706
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 110; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
BOND LENGTHS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEBYE-WALLER FACTOR
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRON BEAMS
FINE STRUCTURE
GADOLINIUM OXIDES
HAFNIUM OXIDES
MATRIX MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MORPHOLOGY
SILICON OXIDES
THIN FILMS
VACUUM COATING
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY