On the deposition of thin TiO₂ films from Langmuir Blodgett film precursors. An electron spectroscopy study

X-Ray photoemission and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopies have been used to characterize ultrathin TiO₂ films obtained by thermal decomposition of Langmuir Blodgett films of n-octadecyl amine which were used to pick up titanyl oxalate ions from the aqueous subphase. The dielectric function of the film was obtained by a Kramers-Krönig analysis of the electron energy loss spectra, which show features characteristic of TiO₂. A detailed Tougaard analysis of the photoemission core level background signal was performed to obtain the composition depth profile of the various elements and make an estimate of the film thickness.