Biaxially textured CeO2 seed layers and thin films on Ni substrates by chemical solution deposition using inorganic cerium nitrate as a precursor

A solution process was used for the epitaxial growth of CeO2 seed layers and thin films on Ni substrate material using inorganic cerium nitrate as a precursor. The precursor solution was prepared by dissolving cerium nitrate in acetyl acetone, 2-methoxyethanol and glycol. The CeO2 thin films, spin coated on Ni substrates, were annealed at 500-1100 °C in a 4%H2-Ar atmosphere. X-ray diffraction showed a strong c-axis orientation of the CeO2 thin films on the Ni {0 0 1} (1 0 0) substrate. Out-of-plane and in-plane texture analysis, as well as pole-figure analysis, revealed a cube-on-cube texture in the films. For CeO2 seed layers, scanning electron microscope investigations showed a discontinuous structure, whereas CeO2 thin films possessed a continuous dense structure. A CeO2 buffer layer grown on a CeO2 seed layer showed an enhancement in the biaxial texture.