Herstellung und Charakterisierung dünner Praseodymoxid-Schichten auf Silizium-Substraten als Modellsystem für die Katalyse und Mikroelektronik

The oxides of rare earth metals are highly interesting and intensively studied materials owing to their special electronic structure. Among these, the oxides of praseodymium (Pr) have received special attention in context of microelectronics and catalysis due to their rich phase diagram and very high oxygen mobility. It is however this complexity which drives the need for a better understanding of preparation routes of different oxide phases under controlled conditions. This thesis deals with the preparation and characterization of thin films of Pr oxide on silicon substrates in ultra high vacuum (UHV). It will be shown that detailed knowledge about the structural and electronic properties of the oxide material is a prerequisite for any application in microelectronics as well as catalysis. Different preparation conditions will be discussed focussing on oxygen partial pressure and deposition rate and a route for obtaining pure PrO2 for UHV studies will be presented. The results of this work open the door for model studies in UHV on the different phases of the complex oxide giving insight into mechanisms and properties important for both fields.