Effect of Annealing on the Structure of Magnetron-Sputtered Cerium Dioxide Surface Layers

Magnetron sputtering and subsequent annealing are used to form nano- and micron-sized cerium dioxide (CeO₂) surface layers on a VT6 titanium alloy base. The structure of samples is studied by scanning electron microscopy, Auger-electron spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. We detected a linear dependence of the surface layer thickness on the deposition time, a nonlinear increase in the thickness with the supply power, an increase in the surface roughness, and delamination and surface layer loosening, which are likely to be related to annealing. For samples with a surface layer less than 750 nm in thickness, the formation of a TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and CeVO₄ sublayer is found; at a layer thickness of less than 300 nm, the entire cerium dioxide is consumed to form vanadate from vanadium dioxide.