The non-equilibrium cation site occupancy in nanosized zinc ferrites (6-13 nm) with different degree of inversion (0.2 to 0.4) was investigated using Fe and Zn K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy XANES and EXAFS, and magnetic measurements. The very good agreement between experimental and ab-initio calculations on the Zn K-edge XANES region clearly show the large Zntransference that takes place in addition to the well-identified Fe 3+ [B]→Fe 3+ (A) one, without altering the long-range structural order. XANES spectra features as a function of the spinel inversion were shown to depend on the configuration of the ligand shells surrounding the absorbing atom. This XANES approach provides a direct way to sense cationic inversion in these spinel compounds. We also demonstrated that a mechanical crystallization takes place on nanocrystalline spinel that causes an increase of both grain and magnetic sizes and, simultaneously, generates a significant augment of the inversion.

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Differences on carbon content and chemical bonds in a-Si1−xCx:H were observed and analyzed in carbon rich and silicon rich films, deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from mixtures of silane and methane. The influence of the radio frequency low power density regime on the film’s properties was investigated. The content of Si, C, and H in the solid phase was obtained by Rutherford back scattering and forward recoil spectrometry. The bondings were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Quantitative analysis on the film’s chemical composition was performed combining the vibrational spectra with the stoichiometry data. The results showed that under “silane starving plasma” conditions, a carbon content as high as 70 at. % is achieved and the main carbon bonds are tetragonal C–H,  C–H2, and Si–C.