AMORPHIZATION OF CERIUM MONONITRIDE DURING OXIDIZATION CHARACTERIZED BY OPTICAL MICROSCOPY, SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Abstract

Cerium mononitride (CeN) film was fabricated by dual ion beam sputtering deposition method on silicon wafer. The oxidization process of CeN film was monitored by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The results showed that, when the CeN film was exposed to ambient atmosphere, bubbles appeared on the film surface rapidly and then the surface flaked off to powders. Meanwhile, the CeN film changed from polycrystalline to amorphous. XPS analysis indicated that the CeN was oxidized to Ce2O3 initially, and then further oxidized to CeO2. These results indicated that the CeN film degraded easily in ambient atmosphere, exhibiting little or no passivation.