Günaydın, SelenCengız, ErhanKanmaz, İmranApaydın, GökhanMiyazaki, HidetoshiHarfouche, M.Özkendir, Osman Murat2026-01-242026-01-2420251454-4164https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12868/4583Systematic investigation of the temperature-dependent local arrangements in CeO<inf>2</inf> thin films and their direct impact on electronic properties is presented. Results revealed that thicker films promote oxygen vacancy formation, reducing Ce4+ to Ce3+ and modifying the local coordination. Furthermore, temperature-dependent EXAFS analysis uncovers a local structural rearrangement transition above 400 K, driven by thermal activation of oxygen vacancies. This rearrangement, occurring within a globally stable cubic framework, directly alters the hybridization between Ce 4f/5d and O 2p orbitals. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations corroborate the experimental findings, revealing an indirect bandgap of 1.60 eV as a result of orbital hybridization. © 2025, National Institute of Optoelectronics. All rights reserved.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessCerium dioxide (CeO2)Electronic structureEXAFSThin filmsArticle2711-125875952-s2.0-105025798768Q4