Enhanced structural and morphological properties of Gd-doped CeO2 thin films obtained by polymer-assisted deposition

•Gd-doped ceria thin films were grown by polymer-assisted deposition technique.•The addition of Gd ions improves the structural properties of the ceria films.•Optimization of the CGO crystallization temperatures.

Gadolinium-doped ceria epitaxial thin films were grown on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates by polymer-assisted deposition (PAD). PAD utilizes an aqueous polymer to bind a metal or metal complex that serves to encapsulate the metal, in order to prevent chemical reaction in solution and to maintain an even distribution of the metal ions into solution. The structural and morphological properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The XRD pattern of the Gd-doped ceria (CGO) films indicated a dramatic improvement of the epitaxial growth with respect to pure CeO2 films. The CGO thin film morphology changes from rounded to plate-like grains when the annealing temperature increases due to an increase of atom mobility.