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An XPS depth-profile study on electrochemically deposited TaO x

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Abstract

Through the use of XPS and controlled Ar+ etching, the surface composition and oxide species of tantalum oxides (TaO x ), which were electrodeposited on glassy carbon electrodes by cyclic voltammetric and constant-potential electrolyses, are quantified along the depth profile. Electrodeposition exhibits efficacy in depositing TaO x with a distribution of various TaO x : TaO, TaO2, and Ta2O5. The distribution gradient from the outer surface of TaO x is such that Ta2O5 > TaO2 > TaO. TaO is found to be the dominant species in the underlying layer of TaO x . Such a unique structure of the electrode surface is analogous to that of nanoparticles with a core–shell structure, with the core being suboxides and the surface being that of the saturated pentoxide, Ta2O5. The electrochemically induced nonhydrolytic condensation route is proposed to be capable of producing TaO x with a distribution gradient of Ta2O5, TaO2, and TaO in the depth direction.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was financially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (number 19206079) to T.O. from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan. J. G. S. M and Z. A gratefully acknowledge the Government of Japan for MEXT Scholarship.

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  1. Department of Electronic Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259-G1-5 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8502, Japan

    James Guo Sheng Moo, Zaenal Awaludin, Takeyoshi Okajima & Takeo Ohsaka

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  1. James Guo Sheng Moo
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  2. Zaenal Awaludin
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  3. Takeyoshi Okajima
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Correspondence to Takeo Ohsaka.

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Moo, J.G.S., Awaludin, Z., Okajima, T. et al. An XPS depth-profile study on electrochemically deposited TaO x . J Solid State Electrochem 17, 3115–3123 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2216-y

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