Step by step rare-earth catalyzed SiOx annealing and simultaneous formation of Europium- silicide by low coverage of Eu doped Gd2O3 nanoparticles

We report the formation of silicide by annealing a SiOx surface, with low coverage Eu doped Gd2O3 nanoparticles. The temperature required for removal native oxide from Si substrate decreases close to 200 °C in presence X-ray photoemission electron microscopy, low-energy microscopy and mirror are used monitor removal. Fragmentation nanoparticles is observed, layer gradually removed. migrates clean areas during process, while Gd found where still present. This process clearly facilitated rare-earth based nanoparticles, suggested function as reaction sites catalyze oxygen simultaneously form silicide. Reduction substrates also observed pure Eu3+ Gd3+ ions. Simultaneous EuSi enable this new catalyzed find applications both within optoelectronics processing microelectronic industry.