In-situ synchrotron x-ray study of the crystallization behavior of Ce_0.9La_0.1O_2−x thin films deposited on NiW alloy substrates by chemical solution method

The phase and texture formation of La doped CeO2 (CLO) films deposited by the chemical solution method are studied by in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction. It is found that the CLO crystallites forms excellent in-plane texture as soon as the phase appears at 860°C, indicating that interfacial nucleation dominates at the beginning of the amorphous–crystallization transition. Grain growth is almost complete after at 900°C for 15min. Analysis of the isothermal process of crystallization at 900°C by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov equation shows that grain development is mainly controlled by diffusion. The success of this work demonstrates the possibility of studying crystallization behaviors of solution derived films using a non-destructive method, which has the potential of being applicable to most types of thin film samples.