X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of sputtered platinum thin films containing large amounts of carbon

Polycrystalline thin films of platinum containing amounts of carbon up to 17 at.% have been prepared by dc reactive sputtering. Although bulk properties were also investigated, emphasis is given here to the surface study of these films by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Pt and C core level intensities, the Pt 4f asymmetry, and the valence band spectra are consistent with the existence of a surface phase of the type Pt‐Cx.