Electron energy loss spectroscopy of interfacial layer formation in Gd2O3 films deposited directly on Si(001)

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to study the interfacial layers formed in Gd2O3 films on Si(001) during rapid thermal annealing at 780 °C in an O2 ambient. Oxygen diffuses through the films and reacts with the substrate to form a SiO2 layer and an intermediate layer containing Gd2O3 and SiO2. Singular value decomposition was used to profile the Si, SiO2, and Gd2O3 …