Characterization of the native Cr2O3 oxide surface of CrO2

Using photoemission and inverse photoemission, we have been able to characterize the Cr2O3 oxide surface of CrO2 thin films. The Cr2O3 surface oxide exhibits a band gap of about 3 eV, although the bulk CrO2 is conducting. The thickness of this insulating Cr2O3 layer is twice the photoelectron escape depth which is about 2 nm thick. The effective Cr2O3 surface layer Debye temperature, describing motion normal to the surface, is about 370 K. From a comparison of CrO2 films grown by different techniques, with different Cr2O3 content, evidence is provided that the CrO2 may polarize the Cr2O3.