AN XPS AND XAES STUDY OF THE NI ZRO2 INTERFACE/

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray-induced Auger electro n spectroscopy (XAES) were used to investigate the first stages of the nickel-zirconia interface formation upon Ni deposition up to 3 ML, bo th at room temperature and at 1073 K. It was found that at room temper ature, the mechanism of growth of Ni on ZrO2 can be described as a Str anski-Krastanov process with a premonolayer break-point, whereas at 10 73 K, a stronger 3D-particle character of the deposit is observed at t he early stages of deposition. The Ni particles exhibited core-level s hifts during deposition at both temperatures, which decreased with inc reasing Ni coverage. In the early stages of deposition, a weak interac tion takes place, which is accompanied by small charge transfer betwee n ZrO2 and Ni. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.