Sol-gel derived 6SrO·6BaO·7Al2O3 thin films using metal alkoxides

A novel 6SrO·6BaO·7Al₂O₃ (S6B6A7) thin film has been deposited onto soda lime float glass via sol-gel dip coating technique. The optical and electrical properties of S6B6A7 films annealed in air and H₂ atmosphere have been investigated. The structural and compositional properties of the S6B6A7 thin films have been investigated using Fourier transferred infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The S6B6A7 films prepared using 5 (wt.%) sol and annealed at 450 °C in air and H₂ atmosphere exhibit an average transmittance of over ∼91% in wide visible range. The electrical properties of the S6B6A7 films affect film thickness as revealed by sheet resistance measurements. The sheet resistance of the 150 nm S6B6A7 films was 67.85 and 6.06 kilo ohms per square for air and H₂ annealed, respectively.     

Structural, optical and electrochromic properties of Nb-doped MoO3 thin films

Niobium (Nb) doped molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) thin films have been synthesized using spray pyrolysis deposition technique. The structural changes were observed with the help of X-ray diffraction technique. With increasing Nb concentration, the structure of MoO₃ undergoes a phase transformation from α-orthorhombic to amorphous with nano-sized grains. The thread like reticulated morphology is converted into spongy like structure at higher Nb concentration (9 at% Nb). It is seen that Nb doping can lead to significant surface morphology changes in MoO₃ films. It was found that the coloration efficiency increases with doping concentration. With increasing Nb concentration charge capacity, reversibility and electrochemical stability increases. The improvement is attributed to the amorphous structure of the doped samples that favors easy intercalation and deintercalation processes. Hence, we have successfully demonstrated formation of an adequate host for electrochromic devices with Nb (9 at%) doped MoO₃ samples.     

Structural characterization and optical properties of UO2 thin films by magnetron sputtering

Uranium dioxide films were deposited on Si (1 1 1) substrates by dc magnetron sputtering method at different sputtering parameters. The structure, morphology and chemical state of the films were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Influences of film thickness on the microstructure and optical properties were investigated. Experimental results show that the film crystallites are preferentially oriented with the (1 1 1) planes. The average grain size increases with increasing film thickness. AFM images show that the root mean square roughness of the films is between 1.2 nm and 2.1 nm. Optical constants (refractive index, extinction coefficient) of the films in the wavelength range of 350-1000 nm are obtained by ellipsometric spectroscopy. The result shows that the refractive index decreases with the increasing film thickness, while extinction coefficient increases with the film thickness.     

Determination and analysis of dispersive optical constants of CuIn3S5 thin films

CuIn₃S₅ thin films were prepared from powder by thermal evaporation under vacuum (10⁻⁶ mbar) onto glass substrates. The glass substrates were heated from 30 to 200 °C. The films were characterized for their optical properties using optical measurement techniques (transmittance and reflectance). We have determined the energy and nature of the optical transitions of films. The optical constants of the deposited films were determined in the spectral range 300-1800 nm from the analysis of transmission and reflection data. The Swanepoel envelope method was employed on the interference fringes of transmittance patterns for the determination of variation of refractive index with wavelength. Wemple-Di Domenico single oscillator model was applied to determine the optical constants such as oscillator energy E₀ and dispersion energy E_d of the films deposited at different substrate temperatures. The electric free carrier susceptibility and the ratio of the carrier concentration to the effective mass were estimated according to the model of Spitzer and Fan.     

Derivation of the optical constants of spin coated CeO2-TiO2-ZrO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel route

Ternary thin films of cerium titanium zirconium mixed oxide were prepared by the sol-gel process and deposited by a spin coating technique at different spin speeds (1000-4000 rpm). Ceric ammonium nitrate, Ce(NO₃)₆(NH₄)₂, titanium butoxide, Ti[O(CH₂)₃CH₃]₄, and zirconium propoxide, Zr(OCH₂CH₂CH₃)₄, were used as starting materials. Differential calorimetric analysis (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were carried out on the CeO₂-TiO₂-ZrO₂ gel to study the decomposition and phase transition of the gel. For molecular, structural, elemental, and morphological characterization of the films, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectral analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were carried out. All the ternary oxide thin films were amorphous. The optical constants (refractive index, extinction coefficient, band gap) and thickness of the films were determined in the 350-1000 nm wavelength range by using an nkd spectrophotometer. The refractive index, extinction coefficient, and thickness of the films were changed by varying the spin speed. The oscillator and dispersion energies were obtained using the Wemple-DiDomenico dispersion relationship. The optical band gap is independent of the spin speed and has a value of about E_g≈2.82±0.04 eV for indirect transition.     

Photoluminescence of Y2O3:Eu thin film phosphors by sol-gel deposition and rapid thermal annealing

Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor films have been developed by using the sol-gel process. Comprehensive characterization methods such as Photoluminescent (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor films. In this experiment, the XRD profiles show that the Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor films crystallization temperature and optimum annealing temperature occur at about 650 and 750 °C, respectively. The optimum dopant concentration is 12 mol% Eu³⁺ and the critical transfer distance (R_c) among Eu³⁺ ions is calculated to be about 0.84 nm. Vacuum environment is more efficient than oxygen and nitrogen to eliminate the OH content and hence yields higher luminescent phosphor films. The PL emission intensity of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor films is also dependent on the annealing time. It was found that the H₂O impurities were effectively eliminated after annealing time of 25 s at 750 °C in vacuum environment. From the experiment results, the schematic energy band diagram of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ phosphor films is constructed.     

Synthesis and characterisations of Au-nanoparticle-doped TiO2 and CdO thin films

In the present study, pure and gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and cadmium oxide (CdO) thin film were prepared by the sol–gel method, and the effect of Au NP doping on the optical, structural and morphological properties of these thin films was investigated. The prepared thin films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–Vis–NIR) spectra. While the optical band increases from 3.62 to 3.73 for TiO₂ thin films, it decreases from 2.20 to 1.55 for CdO thin films with increasing Au doping concentration. Analysis of XRD indicates that the intensities of peaks of the crystalline phase have increased with the increasing Au NP concentrations in all thin films. SEM images demonstrate that the surface morphologies of the samples were affected by the incorporation of Au NPs. Consequently, the most significant results of the present study are that the Au NPs can be used to modify the optical, structural and morphological properties of TiO₂ and CdO thin films.     

Electrical and optical properties of thermally-evaporated thin films from A2[TiO(C2O4)2] (A = K, PPh4) and 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone

In this work, the synthesis of molecular materials formed from A₂[TiO(C₂O₄)₂] (A = K, PPh4) and 1,8 dihydroxyanthraquinone is reported. The synthesized materials were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. IR spectroscopy showed that the molecular-material thin-films, deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation, exhibit the same intra-molecular vibration modes as the starting powders, which suggests that the thermal evaporation process does not alter the initial chemical structures. Electrical transport properties were studied by dc conductivity measurements. The electrical activation energies of the complexes, which were in the range of 0.003-1.16 eV, were calculated from Arrhenius plots. Optical absorption studies in the wavelength range of 190-1090 nm at room temperature showed that the optical band gaps of the thin films were around 1.9-2.3 eV for direct transitions Eg_d. The cubic NLO effects were substantially enhanced for materials synthesized from K₂[TiO(C₂O₄)₂], where χ⁽³⁾ (−3ω; ω, ω, ω) values in the promising range of 10⁻¹² esu have been evaluated.     

Structure-related infrared optical properties of BaTiO3 thin films grown on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates

BaTiO₃ thin films with different thickness have been grown on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates by a modified sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction analyses show that the BaTiO₃ thin films are polycrystalline. The crystalline quality of the films is improved with increasing thickness. The infrared optical properties of the BaTiO₃ thin films have been investigated using an infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry in the wave number range of 800-4000 cm⁻¹ (2.5-12.5 μm). By fitting the measured pseudodielectric functions with a three-phase model (Air/BaTiO₃/Pt), and a derived classical dispersion relation for the thin films, the optical constants and thicknesses of the thin films have been simultaneously obtained. The refractive index of the BaTiO₃ thin films increases and on the other hand, the extinction coefficient does not change with increasing thickness in the entirely measured wave number range. The dependence of the refractive index on the film thickness has been discussed in detail and was mainly due to both the crystalline quality of the films and packing density. Finally, the absorption coefficient was calculated in the infrared region for applications in the pyroelectric IR detectors.     

Preparation and optical properties of ZnGa2O4:Cr thin films derived by sol-gel process

ZnGa₂O₄:Cr³⁺ thin films with bright red emission were synthesized using a sol-gel process, characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and UV-vis and fluorescence spectrophotometry measurements. Effects of calcining temperature, film thickness, calcining duration and substrates on the crystal structure and photoluminescent property have been investigated. It is found that the crystallinity, Ga/Zn ratio and band gap energy (E_g) are significant factors influencing optical characteristics, while the nature of substrates affect the surface morphologies of ZnGa₂O₄:Cr³⁺ thin films.     

Effect of environment and heat treatment on the optical properties of RF-sputtered SnO2 thin films

Thin films of SnO₂ were deposited by RF-magnetron sputtering on quartz substrates at room temperature in an environment of Ar and O₂. The XRD pattern shows amorphous nature of the as-deposited films. The optical properties were studied using the reflectance and transmittance spectra. The estimated optical band gap (E_g) values increase from 4.15 to 4.3 eV as the Ar gas content decreases in the process gas environment. The refractive index exhibits an oscillatory behavior that is strongly dependent on the sputtering gas environment. The Urbach energy is found to decrease with increase in band gap. The band gap is found to decrease on annealing the film. The role of oxygen defects is explored in explaining the variation of optical parameters.     

Optical description of HfO2/Al/HfO2 multilayer thin film devices

A three-layer system of dielectric/metal/dielectric (D/M/D) has been prepared on Marienfeld commercial glass substrates with Metal = Al, and Dielectric = HfO₂ for energy efficient windows applications. Subsequently, HfO₂/Al/HfO₂ multilayers have been deposited with 10 nm each HfO₂ layer and 5 nm thick Al layer using electron beam evaporation. The microstructural characteristics of D/M/D thin films have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Present results indicate the formation of HfO₂ weak polycrystals embedded in the disordered lattice. AFM data reveals quite a smooth surface involving a structure of slightly elongated grains with almost Gaussian size distribution with mean grain size in the range from 7 to 23 nm. Regarding optical properties, maximum transmittance of the D/M/D structure is noticed to occur in the UV-region, whereas reflectance rises to ∼60% in the visible to near infrared (NIR)-regions. To optimize the performance of these D/M/D devices, computer calculations have been performed by varying either the thickness of both HfO₂ layers and/or thickness of metallic Al layer. A satisfactory agreement between theoretical and experimental spectra is noticed. Such D/M/D structures can be useful in heat mirror applications involving energy efficient windows etc.     

Influence of the heating temperature on the properties of nickel doped TiO2 films prepared by sol-gel method

Formation and properties of nickel doped TiO₂ films prepared by sol-gel method were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The results demonstrate that sizes of TiO₂ crystallites increase with increasing heating temperature. Also, at temperatures above 800 ° C diffusion of nickel onto the surfaces results in increased concentrations of nickel compounds on the surfaces. Similar to pure TiO₂ films the light-induced modification of hydrophilicity is observed also in the case of nickel doped TiO₂ films.     

Electronic properties of thin films of laser-ablated Al2O3

Laser ablation coupled to mass quadrupole spectrometry (LAMQS) has been used to prepare thin films of aluminum oxide deposited on Si substrates starting from commercial Al₂O₃ polycrystalline targets. X-ray photoemission (XPS) and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) have allowed the investigation of the electronic properties of the produced films. In particular, it was found that the Al/O atomic ratio assumes a value very near to 0.7 (stoichiometric ratio) only for films deposited normally with respect to the target surface, while films grown at larger deposition angles are more rich in oxygen content.The composition, the mass density, the optical energy gap, the complex dielectric function and refraction index of the films have been calculated and compared with the results obtained from our starting target material and with the literature. The morphology of the deposited samples has been analyzed by the AFM technique.     

Sol-gel synthesis, characterization and optical properties of mercury-doped TiO2 thin films deposited on ITO glass substrates

The Hg-doped and undoped nano-crystalline TiO₂ films on ITO glass substrates surface and polycrystalline powders were prepared by sol-gel dip coating technique. The crystal structure and surface morphology of TiO₂ were characterized by means of X-ray diffractometer (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), spectrophotometer, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The results indicated that the powder of TiO₂, doped with 5% Hg in room temperature was only composed of the anatase phase whereas in the undoped powder exhibits an amorphous phase were present. After heat treatments of thin films, titanium oxide starts to crystallize at the annealing temperature 400 °C. The average crystallite size of the undoped TiO₂ films was about 8.17 nm and was increased with Hg-doping in the TiO₂ films. Moreover, the grains distributed more uniform and the surface roughness was greater in the Hg-doped TiO₂ films than in the undoped one. Refractive index and porosity were calculated from the measured transmittance spectrum. The values of the index of refraction are in the range (1.95-2.49) and the porosity is in the range (47-2.8). The coefficient of transmission varies from 60 to 90%. SE study was used to determine the annealing temperature effect on the optical properties in the wavelength range from 0.25 to 2 μm and the optical gap of the Hg-doped TiO₂ thin films.     

Correlation between microstructure and optical properties of nano-crystalline TiO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel dip coating

Titanium dioxide thin films have been prepared from tetrabutyl-orthotitanate solution and methanol as a solvent by sol-gel dip coating technique. TiO₂ thin films prepared using a sol-gel process have been analyzed for different annealing temperatures. Structural properties in terms of crystal structure were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology and composition of the films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical transmittance and reflectance spectra of TiO₂ thin films deposited on silicon substrate were also determined. Spectroscopic ellipsometry study was used to determine the annealing temperature effect on the optical properties and the optical gap of the TiO₂ thin films. The results show that the TiO₂ thin films crystallize in anatase phase between 400 and 800 °C, and into the anatase-rutile phase at 1000 °C, and further into the rutile phase at 1200 °C. We have found that the films consist of titanium dioxide nano-crystals. The AFM surface morphology results indicate that the particle size increases from 5 to 41 nm by increasing the annealing temperature. The TiO₂ thin films have high transparency in the visible range. For annealing temperatures between 1000 and 1400 °C, the transmittance of the films was reduced significantly in the wavelength range of 300-800 nm due to the change of crystallite phase and composition in the films. We have demonstrated as well the decrease of the optical band gap with the increase of the annealing temperature.     

Photoexpansion and photobleaching effects in oxysulfide thin films of the GeS2+Ga2O3 system

Oxysulfide systems undergo structural transformations upon illumination with laser light of near bandgap energy, as well as chalcogenide materials (glasses and films). In this paper, photoinduced effects such as photoexpansion and photobleaching were observed in GeS₂+Ga₂O₃ (GGSO) films synthesized by electron beam evaporation. A surface expansion of the thin films and a shift to shorter wavelengths of the optical absorption edge were observed as a result of UV laser irradiation (wavelength of 351 nm) and they are dependent on laser power density, exposure time and film composition. These parameters were varied to evaluate and enhance the observed effects. In addition, the irradiated GGSO samples exhibited a decrease in refractive index, measured with a prism-coupling technique, which makes these films suitable candidates for applications as gratings and waveguides in integrated optics.     

Structure, morphology and optical properties of SiO2−x thin films prepared by plasma-assisted pulsed laser deposition

The amorphous silicon oxide SiO_2−x thin films were prepared by the plasma-assisted pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-VIS-NIR scanning spectrophotometry and ellipsometry were used to characterize the crystallinity, microscopic morphology and optical properties of obtained thin films. The influences of substrate temperatures, oxygen partial pressures and oxygen plasma assistance on the compositions of silicon oxide (SiO_2−x) thin films were investigated. Results show that the deposited thin films are amorphous and have high surface quality. Stoichiometric silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin film can be obtained at elevated temperature of 200 °C in an oxygen plasma-assisted atmosphere. Using normal incidence transmittance, a novel and simple method has been proposed to evaluate the value of x in transparent SiO_2−x thin films on a non-absorbing flat substrate.     

XPS investigations achieved on the first cycle of V2O5 thin films used in lithium microbatteries

Vanadium pentoxide thin films, usable as positive electrode in microbatteries, have been prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering in a pure argon or mixed argon/oxygen plasma. Depending on the oxygen pressure in the discharge gas, we have obtained either crystallized or amorphous thin films. These two kinds of thin films having different electrochemical behavior, an extensive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study (especially suited for thin films analysis) was carried out. The main redox processes occurring during the first discharge–charge cycle were identified. In addition, depending on the crystalline or amorphous character of the samples, we have noticed some differences concerning the kinetic of reduction. Furthermore, the growth of a surface layer between the cathode and the liquid electrolyte was evidenced upon the discharge as well as its partial dissolution upon the charge.     

Modification in structural and optical properties of ZnO, CeO2 doped Al2O3-PbO-B2O3 glasses

The structural and optical analysis of glasses is carried out by XRD, FTIR, density and UV visible spectroscopic measurement techniques. XRD results have confirmed the glassy nature of the samples. The FTIR spectral analysis reveals that with the combined presence of ZnO and CeO₂ contents in Al₂O₃-PbO-B₂O₃ glasses, more BO₃ groups are transformed into BO₄. The optical analysis reveals that optical band gap energy decreases more for CeO₂-ZnO-Al₂O₃-PbO-B₂O₃ glasses (from 2.28 to 1.84 eV). The presence of CeO₂ and ZnO in the glass samples causes more compaction of the borate network due to the formation of more BO₄ groups and the presence of ZnO₄ groups, which results an increase in density, refractive index and decrease of molar volume.