Tougaard background deconvolution study of the deposition of Langmuir-Blodgett films of long-chain hydrocarbon amines with titanyl oxalate ions

Abstract

Multilayers of a titanyl oxalate complex with n-octadecylamine were picked up onto quartz substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. X-ray photoemission was used to detect the various species in the film and their relative concentrations. A Tougaard background deconvolution analysis of the photoelectron spectra was performed using the differential inelastic scattering cross-section determined from reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy. By contrast with previous work on layer-structured arachidate films, this analysis indicated that the various elements in the film were present with homogenous depth distributions. This is consistent with XPS take-off angle studies and with x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy studies, which showed the film to be amorphous. The composition of the film was determined to be TiO_6.7C₄₉N_1.7, in reasonable agreement with the expected composition of TiO₉C₄₀N₂.