Composition and structure of Pd nanoclusters in SiOx thin film

The nucleation, distribution, composition, and structure of Pd nanocrystals in SiO2 multilayers containing Ge, Si, and Pd are studied using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), before and after heat treatment. The Pd nanocrystals in the as deposited sample (sample ASD) seem to be capped by a layer of PdOx. A 1–2 eV shift in binding energy was found for the Pd-3d XPS peak, due to initial state Pd to O charge transfer in this layer. The heat treatment results in a decomposition of PdO and Pd into pure Pd nanocrystals and SiOx. This research was originally published in the Journal of Applied Physics. © AIP Publishin