Structural effects due to the incorporation of Ar atoms in the lattice of ZrO2 thin films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition

Two sets of ZrO2 thin films have been prepared at room temperature by ion beam induced chemical vapour deposition and subsequently annealed up to 1323 K. The two sets of samples have been prepared by using either O2+ or mixtures of (O2+ + Ar+) ions for the decomposition of a volatile metallorganic precursor of zirconium. The structure and microstructure of these two sets of samples have been determined by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and positron beam analysis (PBA). The samples were very compact and dense and had a very low-surface roughness. After annealing in air at T ≥ 573 K both sets of films were transparent and showed similar refraction indexes. For the (O2+ + Ar+)-ZrO2 thin films it is shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford back scattering that a certain amount of incorporated Ar (5–6 at.%) remains incorporated within the oxide lattice. No changes were detected in the amount of incorporated Ar even after annealing at T = 773 K. For higher annealing temperatures (T > 1073 K), the amount of Ar starts to decrease, and at T = 1223 K only residual amounts of Ar (