Impact of Rapid Thermal Annealing Under Various Temperatures on the Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles

In the present paper, the research was focused on the synthesis of Y₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) by a chemical method using yttrium nitrate hexahydrate, urea and ammonium hydroxide, deposition of the oxide precursors as thin films on silicon substrate, and drying in a desiccator at room temperature before thermal treatment. Then, the prepared samples were subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at a heating rate of 10 °C/sec. maintained at 600 and 900 °C for 600 sec., in nitrogen atmosphere. The morphological, structural, and wettability characteristics of Y₂O₃ films have been obtained using advanced analytical investigation tools. Morphological characterization (SEM) reveals nanometric particle sizes with a rough surface, and a slight tendency to agglomeration. The compositional analysis (EDX) revealed Y₂O₃ nanoparticles without impurities, supported by specific Y and O elements. The study of the vibrational characteristics of the synthesized samples was conducted using two complementary spectrometric techniques (FTIR and Raman), which revealed the characteristic vibration bands of the Y-O bond. The structural analysis (XRD) shows a cubic crystalline structure, revealing the high purity of the Y₂O₃ samples. The surface wetting capacity of Y₂O₃ films, as investigated by contact angle measurement, indicates a hydrophilic character and good percolation, with a direct impact on the performance of the material in various technological sectors.