Abstract
Thin films of vanadium oxide(VO$\sub$x/) have been deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering from V$_2$O$\sub$5/ target in gas mixture of argon and oxygen. The oxygen/(oxygen+argon) partial pressure ratio is changed from 0% to 8%. Crystal structure, chemical composition and bonding properties of films sputter-deposited under different oxygen gas pressures are characterized through XRO, XPS, RBS and FTIR measurements. All the films prepared below 8% O$_2$ are amorphous, and those prepared without oxygen are gray indicating the presence of V$_2$O$\sub$$_4$/ phase in the films. V$_2$O$\sub$5/ and lower oxides co-exist in sputter-deposited films and as the oxygen partial pressure is increased the films become more stoichiometric V$_2$O$\sub$5/. The increase of O/V ratio with increasing oxygen gas pressure is attributed to the partial filling of oxygen vacancies through diffusion. It is observed that the oxygen atoms. located on the V-O plane of V$_2$O$\sub$5/ layer participate more readily in the oxidation process.