Thin film lead zirconate titanate (PZT) was grown on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates using direct liquid injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition (DLI-MOCVD). The chemical states and stoichiometry was characterized by employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The discussion was focused on the chemical change during in-depth profile by Ar+-ion bombardment. In addition, relative atomic sensitivity factors (ASFs) were corrected to determine practically more accurate chemical compositions in the thin film PZT. And then, the chemical compositions by their application to quantification were compared with other data using the data base of Wagner ASFs and Scofield ASFs. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.