Nanocrystalline Pt thin films obtained via metal organic chemical vapor deposition on quartz and CaF2 substrates: an investigation of their chemico-physical properties

Nanocrystalline platinum thin films were deposited on quartz and CaF2 substrates using platinum(II)acetylacetonate as a precursor. The depositions were carried out at 420 °C in N2+O2, N2+O2+H2O and N2+H2 atmospheres in order to examine the effect of synthesis conditions on the chemico-physical properties of the layers. Their microstructure, chemical composition and morphology were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and atomic force microscopy. The obtained results revealed the formation of metallic platinum thin films with no preferential orientation. The presence of C and O contamination, as indicated by XPS and SIMS analyses, is discussed in terms of the precursor decomposition pathway.