STUDY ON THE ZRO2-Y2O3 FE INTERFACE

XPS measurements of the electron binding energy are made for thr eleme nts Zr, Y, Fe, and O at different depths to understand the effect of o xygen ion bombardment on the interface between a ZrO2-Y2O3 film and an Fe substrate. The results show that (FeZr)O1+x (x = 1- < 2) is formed at the interface as a result of the bombardment and reaction of depos iting atoms and ions. The AES profile shows a broad transient region a bout 40 nm wide. Carbon contamination, a result of residual gases in t he chamber during r.f. magnetron sputter deposition, is also discussed . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.