Depth profiling characterization of the titanium chemical state on electrode surfaces for technological applications

Abstract

Titanium electrodes, and general Ti oxide films, play an important role in state-of-the-art devices and technological developments. In this work, titanium oxide thin-films were prepared by electroformation on titanium substrates up to several anodic potential values in different electrolyte compositions. The analysis took into account the cathodic treatment applied in order to modify the thin-film electronic properties. The oxidation state of the surface of the electrodes at different depths was analyzed using the energy-dispersive inelastic X-ray scattering (EDIXS) technique under grazing incidence conditions. The measurements were carried out using monochromatic synchrotron radiation in a dedicated endstation. After RIXS spectra were treated by multivariate methods, the results indicate a well-defined distribution of titanium oxides in the (+3) state as compared to the standard (+4) state, in good agreement with predictions. In addition, this work demonstrates the capability of the GI-EDIXS technique to provide valuable information from nanolayers of technological materials for both industrial and scientific applications.