Visualization of oxygen vacancies at CeO_x/Y-HZO interface by spectrum imaging method and multivariate analysis

Abstract Electron energy loss spectroscopy - spectrum imaging measurements using a scanning transmission electron microscope are carried out to clarify the details of microstructure at the interface of the CeOx-capped Y-HZO film prepared by the chemical solution deposition method. We confirmed that by the present chemical solution deposition the independent capped layer of CeOx successively deposited on Y-HZO. The crystal structure of CeOx film is mainly the cubic CeO2 structure with Ce4+. Chemical state maps are also successfully obtained by the multivariate analysis. We found that Ce3+ and Ce4+ coexist in the interface layer with cubic CeO2 crystal structure containing O vacancy. The results of the quantitative elemental distribution maps of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy also supported that O vacancies exist at the interface.