In‐situ characterization of aqueous‐based hafnium oxide hydroxide sulfate thin films

The dehydration of hafnium oxide hydroxide sulfate thin films was studied using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Films were found to desorb water up to 750 K with a maximum desorption rate at ~480 K. Carbon dioxide desorption was also observed in TPD measurements, which was related to contamination of precursor solutions and/or films by CO2 from the atmosphere. The O 1s spectra obtained for in-situ annealed samples were fit with three components corresponding to Hf-O, hydroxyl groups, and sulfate groups. Water TPD measurements from the dehydrated surface indicate the presence of two desorption states corresponding to molecularly and dissociatively adsorbed water. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.