An investigation of cobalt oxide based nanocrystalline thin films by secondary ion mass spectrometry

An investigation of cobalt oxide based nanocrystalline thin films by second ary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is presented. The coatings, whose composit ion ranged between CoO and Co3O4, were synthesized by chemical vapor deposi tion (CVD) on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, using cobalt(II) beta -dik etonate as precursor. The SIMS analysis revealed a satisfactory precursor c onversion into the oxides and allowed distinction of regions in the films a t different compositions. Film-substrate intermixing phenomena were evidenc ed and studied as a function of deposition temperature, film thickness and composition. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.