X-Ray photoelectron study of the reaction of oxygen with cerium

A clean, polycrystalline Ce-metal surface has been successfully produced by using a sputtering and annealing technique on Ce foil. The chemical species conditions at 300 and 120 K have been characterized by XPS. Dissociative chemisorption and reaction occurs to produce a thick layer of Ce2O3. N over this Ce2O3. Two peaks occur in the O(1s) spectra, at BE 529.6 and 530.3 eV, which are assigned to CeO2 and Ce2O3, respecti eV becomes clearly apparent when CE(IV) forms. The principal species formed are oxides, and no positive evidence was found for the existence of physiso