Core-level electronic properties of nanostructured NiO coatings

Nanostructured NiO films with different thicknesses were grown on nanoporous alumina membrane substrates by reactive evaporation of Ni in an oxygen atmosphere. The reactive deposition process was assisted by a low energy oxygen ion-beam in order to increase the NiO input into the pores. Surface morphology and structure of the films were analyzed by SEM and XPS. SEM observations reveal a well adhered film of NiO on the substrate. This film appears to be uniform and presents a rather irregular nanostructured morphology, built of NiO clusters with sizes ranging between 5 and 30 nm. The core-level electronic properties of this nanostructured NiO film result to be similar to those of an ultrathin film about one monolayer thick. This behaviour can be explained by the large surface to volume ratio of both systems.