Highly porous Ti and TiZrV film getters on (100) silicon substrates, grown by the glancing angle deposition of dc magnetron sputtering method, were used to study the activation process. The effect of activation temperature on the reducing degree of the porous Ti and TiZrV films were investigated by synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy (SRPES). Elemental carbon absorbed on the surface of the Ti film, exposed in air, will be transformed to a Ti carbide phase, however, that which is on the surface of the TiZrV film will be completely removed by heat at 250 degrees C or above. The oxidized Ti in a porous TiZrV film is more easily reduced than that in the porous Ti films. The breakdown of V-O and Ti-O bonds on the TiZrV film surface is easier than that of the Zr-O bond. We suggest that the decrease of reducing temperature of oxidized TiZrV, comparing with that of oxidized Ti, is caused by the displacement reaction of Zr on oxidized Ti or oxidized V. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.