EELS investigation of Pd thin film growth on aluminum oxide substrate

Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) operated at energies from 250 to 1 500 eV was used for coverage analysis of supported non-continuous layers. T he alumina supported very thin Pd films were prepared by depositing small a mounts of Pd on thermally oxidized Al substrate. The film growth was invest igated via variations of intensity of excited Pd plasmons and of alumina en ergy losses. The overlayer coverage was determined from the relative contri bution of deposit and substrate signal to the composite spectra taking into account the backreflecting capacity of both materials and loss event proba bilities [Surf. Rev. Lett. 6 (1999) 801]. The results show high sensitivity of the EELS method to deposit thickness and continuity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.