Preparation and chemical characterization of neodymium-doped molybdenum oxide films grown using spray pyrolysis

J. E. Alfonso^a,*, and L. C. Moreno^b

^a Grupo de Ciencia Materiales y superficies, Departamento de Física, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, AA 5997 Bogotá DC, Colombia. *Tel: +57-1-3165000 ext. 13040, e-mail: jealfonsoo@unal.edu.co

^b Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, AA 5997 Bogotá DC, Colombia.

Abstract

We studied the crystallinity, morphology, and surface composition of Nd-doped molybdenum oxide films grown on glass slides through spray pyrolysis. After fabrication, the films were subjected to thermal treatment in oxygen for periods ranging from 2 to 20 hours. The films were structurally characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), their bulk chemical composition was determined using Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and their surface composition was determined using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD results show that the films obtained from different dissolution volumes and at substrate temperature of 300° C exhibit the characteristics of the oxygen-deficient molybdenum trioxide Mo₉ O₂₆ phase. The films subjected to different thermal treatments exhibit a mixture of Mo₉O₂₆ and Mo₁₇O₄₇ phases. EDX study shows the energy belonging to the L line of Nd. Finally, films doped with Nd and subjected to a thermal treatment of 20h were analyzed through XPS, showing the binding energies at the crystalline lattice correspond to Nd₂ (MoO₄)₃ and Nd₂Mo₂O₇.

Keywords: Thin films; spray pyrolysis; molybdenum oxide; morphology.

PACS: 34.50.D; 61.10.N; 33.60

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Research Division of "Universidad Nacional de Colombia (DIB)", and thank professors Jose Marco for the XPS measurements and Julio Evelio Rodriguez for the collaboration with the thermal treatments.

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