A study of the optical properties of titanium oxide films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

TiO₂ thin films were deposited on the glass substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering technique at different sputtering pressures (2 × 10⁻³ to 2 × 10⁻² mbar). The films prepared at low pressures have an anatase phase, and the films prepared at high pressures have an amorphous phase. The optical properties were studied by measuring the transmittance and the ellipsometric spectra. The optical constants of the films in the visible range were obtained by fitting the transmittance combined with the ellipsometry measurements using the classical model with one oscillator. The refractive index of the films decreases from 2.5 until 2.1 as the sputtering pressure increases from 2 × 10⁻³ to 2 × 10⁻² mbar. The films prepared at the pressure higher than 6 × 10⁻³ mbar show a volume inhomogeneity. This volume inhomogeneity has been calculated by fitting the transmittance and the ellipsometric spectra. The volume inhomogeneity of the film prepared at the highest sputtering pressure is about 10%. Although the films prepared at high pressures show a large volume inhomogeneity, they have low extinction coefficients. It is suggested that the anatase phase results in more light scattering than amorphous phase does, and then a high extinction coefficient.     

Effect of the heat treatment on the infrared emissivity of indium tin oxide (ITO) films

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited on glass substrates at temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 400 °C by direct current magnetron sputtering. The mean infrared emissivities at the waveband of 8-14 μm were measured in process of heating and cooling between room temperature and 350 °C. Microstructure and phases of ITO films before (Group A) and after (Group B) heat treatment were characterized by SEM and XRD, respectively. Electrical properties were characterized with a four-point probe method and by Hall measurement system. During heat treatment, the infrared emissivity of the film increases with the increase of temperature, and decreases with the decrease of temperature. While, the infrared emissivity of the films decreases slightly around 250 °C in heating process. On the other hand, after heat treatment, the crystalline phases of the films have no obvious change. However, both the resistivity and the infrared emissivity of all films decrease.     

Albumin adsorption on oxide thin films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Thin films of tantalum, niobium, zirconium and titanium oxides were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering and their wettability and surface energy, optical properties, roughness, chemical composition and microstructure were characterized using contact angle measurements, spectroscopic ellipsometry, profilometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The purpose of the work was to correlate the surface properties of the films to the Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) adsorption, as a first step into the development of an initial in vitro test of the films biocompatibility, based on standardized protein adsorption essays. The films were immersed into BSA solutions with different protein concentrations and protein adsorption was monitored in situ by dynamic ellipsometry; the adsorption-rate was dependent on the solution concentration and the immersion time. The overall BSA adsorption was studied in situ using spectroscopic ellipsometry and it was found to be influenced by the wettability of the films; larger BSA adsorption occurred on the more hydrophobic surface, the ZrO₂ film. On the Ta₂O₅, Nb₂O₅ and TiO₂ films, hydrophilic surfaces, the overall BSA adsorption increased with the surface roughness or the polar component of the surface energy.     

Effect of some preparative parameters on optical properties of spray deposited iridium oxide thin films

Optical properties of iridium oxide films fabricated by the spray pyrolysis technique (SPT) have been investigated. The transmission and reflection spectra of the sprayed films were measured by using a double-beam spectrophotometer in the wavelength range from 200 to 2500 nm. Influences of the preparative parameters; namely, substrate temperature (350-500 °C) and solution molarity (0.005-0.03 M), on the optical characteristics were examined. The solution molarity of the iridium chloride solution was varied so as to prepare iridium oxide thin films with thicknesses ranging from 160 to 325 nm. Some important characteristics of optical absorption, such as optical dispersion energies, the dielectric constant, the ratio of the number of charge carriers to the effective mass, the single oscillator wavelength, and the average value of the oscillator strength, were evaluated. The value of the refractive index was found to depend on the chemical composition as well as the degree of stoichiometry of IrO₂. The values obtained for the high frequency dielectric constant through two procedures are in the range of 2.8-3.9 and 3.3-4.6 over the relevant ranges of the substrate temperature and solution molarity, respectively. Analysis of the energy dispersion curve of the absorption coefficient indicated a direct optical transition with the bandgap energy ranging between 2.61 and 2.51 eV when the substrate temperature increases from 350 to 500 °C.     

Physical properties of vacuum evaporated CdTe thin films with post-deposition thermal annealing

This paper presents the physical properties of vacuum evaporated CdTe thin films with post-deposition thermal annealing. The thin films of thickness 500 nm were grown on glass and indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates employing thermal vacuum evaporation technique followed by post-deposition thermal annealing at temperature 450 °C. These films were subjected to the X-ray diffraction (XRD),UV-Vis spectrophotometer, source meter and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for structural, optical, electrical and surface morphological analysis respectively. The X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the films have zinc-blende structure of single cubic phase with preferred orientation (111) and polycrystalline in nature. The crystallographic and optical parameters are calculated and discussed in brief. The optical band gap is found to be 1.62 eV and 1.52 eV for as-grown and annealed films respectively. The I–V characteristics show that the conductivity is decreased for annealed thin films. The AFM studies reveal that the surface roughness is observed to be increased for thermally annealed films.     

Enhancing indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film adhesiveness using the coupling agent silane

The coupling agent γ-mercapto propyl trimethoxy silane (WD-80) was used to enhance the adhesiveness of the indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film, which was prepared on a glass substrate using the sol-gel method. The nano-scratching test, XRD, TEM, SEM, and UV-vis spectrophotometer were employed to examine film adhesion, crystal structure, surface morphology, and transmittance. The results indicated that silane coupling agent, used in low concentration, did not change the film structure but increased the critical load of the film by 49%, from 4.16 mN to 6.20 mN, when the film was peeled off from the substrate. The principle by which the coupling agent works is discussed. In addition to increasing with the light wavelength, the average transmittance of the film in the visible range varied from 78.9% to 83.6%. Moreover, as a function of the WD-80 silane coupling agent, the film exhibited a high smoothness and density due to the orderly arrangement of particles.     

铟锡氧化物薄膜表面等离子体损耗降低的研究

本文采用直流磁控溅射方法在普通浮法玻璃基底上制备了立方多晶铁锰矿结构的铟锡氧化物(indium tin oxide, ITO)薄膜,并对其进行了结晶性、表面粗糙度、紫外-可见吸收光谱、折射率、介电常数及霍尔效应的测试.研究了溅射时基底温度的改变对于ITO薄膜的光电、表面等离子体性质的影响.随着基底温度由100?C升高至500?C,其光学带隙(3.64—3.97eV)展宽,减少了电子带间跃迁的概率,有效降低了ITO薄膜的光学损耗.与此同时,对应ITO薄膜的载流子浓度(4.1×10~(20)-—2.48×10~(21)cm~(-3))与迁移率(24.6—32.2 cm~2·V~(-1)·s~(-1))得到提高,电学损耗明显降低.     

Synthesis and optical properties of ZnO nanorods on indium tin oxide substrate

ZnO nanorods with uniform diameter and length have been synthesized on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrate by using a simple thermal evaporation method which is suitable to larger scale production and without any catalyst or additives. The samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-vis (UV-vis) absorption spectrum, photoluminescence (PL) spectrum and Raman spectrum. The single-phase ZnO nanorods grow well-oriented along the c-axis of its wurtzite structure on ITO substrate. The ZnO nanorods shows sharp and strong UV emission located at 380 nm without notable visible light emission in the PL spectrum, which suggests the good crystallinity of the nanorods, which was also testified by their Raman spectrum. The photodegradation of methylene orange (MO) in aqueous solution reveals that the well-arranged c-axis growth of ZnO nanorods possess evidently improved photocatalytic performance and these properties enable the ZnO nanorods potential application in UV laser.     

Application of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin film as a low emissivity film on Ni-based alloy at high temperature

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films as the low emissivity coatings of Ni-based alloy at high temperature were studies. ITO films were deposited on the polished surface of alloy K424 by direct current magnetron sputtering. These ITO-coated samples were heat-treated in air at 600–900 °C for 150 h to explore the effect of high temperature environment on the emissivity. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM and EDS. The results show that the surface of sample is integrity after heat processing at 700 °C and below it. A small amount of fine crack is observed on the surface of sample heated at 800 °C and Ti oxide appears. There are lots of fine cracks on the sample annealed at 900 °C and a large number of various oxides are detected. The average infrared emissivities at 3–5 μm and 8–14 μm wavebands were tested by an infrared emissivity measurement instrument. The results show the emissivity of the sample after annealed at 600 and 700 °C is still kept at a low value as the sample before annealed. The ITO film can be used as a low emissivity coating of super alloy K424 up to 700 °C.     

Vanadium oxide thin films deposited on indium tin oxide glass by radio—frequency magnetron sputtering

Highly oriented VO₂(B), VO₂(B) + V₆O₁₃ films were grown on indium tin oxide glass by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Single phase V₆O₁₃ films were obtained from VO₂(B) +V₆O₁₃ films by annealing at 480℃ in vacuum. The vanadium oxide films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). It was found that the formation of vanadium oxide films was affected by substrate temperature and annealing time, because high substrate temperature and annealing were favourable to further oxidation. Therefore, the formation of high valance vanadium oxide films was realized. The V₆O₁₃ crystalline sizes become smaller with the increase of annealing time. XPS analysis revealed that the energy position for all the samples was almost constant, but the broadening of the V_2p3/2 line of the annealed sample was due to the smaller crystal size of V₆O₁₃.     

The effects of post-thermal annealing on the optical parameters of indium-doped ZnO thin films

Indium-doped ZnO thin films are deposited on quartz glass slides by RF magnetron sputtering at ambient temper- ature. The as-deposited films are annealed at different temperatures from 400 C to 800 C in air for 1 h. Transmittance spectra are used to determine the optical parameters and the thicknesses of the films before and after annealing using a nonlinear programming method, and the effects of the annealing temperatures on the optical parameters and the thickness are investigated. The optical band gap is determined from the absorption coefficient. The calculated results show that the film thickness and optical parameters both increase first and then decrease with increasing annealing temperature from 400 C to 800 C. The band gap of the as-deposited ZnO:In thin film is 3.28 eV, and it decreases to 3.17 eV after annealing at 400 C. Then the band gap increases from 3.17 eV to 3.23 eV with increasing annealing temperature from 400 C to 800 C.     

Al掺杂原子分数及退火温度对ZnO薄膜光学特性的影响

采用溶胶凝胶法在（0001）Al2O3衬底上制备了不同掺杂原子分数的ZnO:Al薄膜,在Ar气氛中进行了600～950 ℃不同温度的退火处理,研究了掺杂原子分数和退火温度对薄膜光致发光、光吸收和透射的影响。结果显示,薄膜的紫外峰强度随掺杂原子分数和退火温度的提高而增强,与缺陷相关的绿光强度却随着掺杂原子分数和退火温度的提高而降低;薄膜光学带隙随掺杂原子分数的提高从3.21 eV增大到3.25 eV;光吸收在可见光区随着退火温度的升高而增大,在紫外区却随着退火温度的升高而减小,透射与吸收的变化规律相反;薄膜吸收边随退火温度的升高出现轻微的红移。     

Structural, optical and electrochromic properties of nickel oxide thin films grown from electrodeposited nickel sulphide

Nickel oxide thin films were grown onto FTO-coated glass substrates by a two-step process: electrodeposition of nickel sulphide and their thermal oxidation at 425, 475 and 525 °C. The influence of thermal oxidation temperature on structural, optical, morphological and electrochromic properties was studied. The structural properties undoubtedly revealed NiO formation. The electrochromic properties were studied by means of cyclic voltammetry. The films exhibited anodic electrochromism, changing from a transparent state to a coloured state at +0.75 V versus SCE, i.e. by simultaneous ion and electron ejection. The transmittance in the coloured and bleached states was recorded to access electrochromic quality of the films. Colouration efficiency and electrochromic reversibility were found to be maximum (21 mC/cm² and 89%, respectively) for the films oxidized at 425 °C. The optical band gap energy of nickel oxide slightly varies with increase in annealing temperature.     

Oxidation-induced changes in the electro-optical properties of thin copper films

Summary The room temperature oxidation of vapour deposited copper films has been investigated as a function of film thickness and time by the sheet resistance and optical transmittance measurements. An increase of both sheet resistance and transmittance with a tendency to saturation has been observed. Time variation of the sheet resistance shows that the kinetics of oxidation could be described by a model whereby an initial logarithmic oxide growth changes to an inverse logarithmic one as time progresses; the thicker the film, the longer the change-over time. Absorption coefficients of oxidized films show that the resulting oxide is most probably Cu₂O. Evaluation of the oxidized films for possible use as transparent electrode material shows the existence of an optimum thickness value.

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Riassunto Si è studiata l’ossidazione a temperatura ambiente di pellicole di rame depositate per vaporizzazione in funzione dello spessore della pellicola e del tempo mediante la resistenza del foglio e misurazioni di trasmittenza ottica. Si è osservato un aumento sia della resistenza del foglio, sia della trasmittenza con una tendenza alla saturazione. La variazione temporale della resistenza del foglio mostra che la cinetica di ossidazione potrebbe essere descritta da un modello con cui un’iniziale crescita logaritmica dell’ossido cambia in una logaritmica inversa al crescere del tempo; più spessa è la pellicola più lungo è il tempo del cambiamento. I coefficienti di assorbimento delle pellicole ossidate mostrano che l’ossido risultante è molto probabilmente il Cu₂O. La valutazione delle pellicole ossidate per un possibile uso come materiale di elettrodo trasparente mostra l’esistenza di un valore ottimo dello spessore.

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Резюме Исследуется окисление при комнатной температуре пленок меди в зависимости от толщины пленки и времени, используя измерения сопротивления слоя и оптической прозрачности. Наблюдается увеличение сопротивления слоя и прозрачности с тенденцией к насыщению. Временное изменение сопротивления слоя показывает, что кинетика окисления может быть описана с помощью модели, согласно которой начальный логарифмический рост окисла изменяется на обратно логарифмический, когда время увеличивается; для более толстой пленки изменение происходит при больщих временах. Коэффициенты поглощения окисленных пленок показывают, что результирующий окисел представляет Cu₂O. Оценка возможности использования окисленных пленок в качестве прозрачного материала электродов указывает на существование оптимальной толщины пленки.

     

后退火处理对铟锡氧化物表面等离激元共振特性的影响

近年来,表面等离激元光子学发展迅速,并取得了众多新成果.重掺杂半导体材料的表面等离激元共振性质的研究,也得到了人们越来越多的关注.本文通过纳米球刻印技术制备准三维二氧化硅纳米球阵列,在阵列上沉积铟锡氧化物薄膜,通过不同条件下的后退火处理改变铟锡氧化物薄膜的载流子浓度和载流子迁移率,并研究随着材料性质的改变其相应表面等离激元共振特性的变化规律.结果表明：退火处理均使铟锡氧化物薄膜的晶粒长大,光学透过率增加;在空气中退火会导致铟锡氧化物薄膜的载流子浓度减少,其表面等离激元共振峰红移;而真空退火则使铟锡氧化物薄膜的载流子浓度增加,共振峰蓝移.这些研究结果可为后续铟锡氧化物表面等离激元材料及器件的研究提供科学依据和实际指导.     

Optical and electrical properties of thermally oxidized bismuth thin films

Bismuth trioxide (Bi₂O₃) thin films were prepared by dry thermal oxidation of metallic bismuth films deposited by vacuum evaporation. The oxidation process of Bi films consists of a heating from the room temperature to an oxidation temperature (T_o = 673 K), with a temperature rate of 8 K/min; an annealing for 1 h at oxidation temperature and, finally, a cooling to room temperature. The optical transmission and reflection spectra of the films were studied in spectral domains ranged between 300 nm and 1700 nm, for the transmission coefficient, and between 380 nm and 1050 nm for the reflection coefficient, respectively. The thin-film surface structures of the metal/oxide/metal type were used for the study of the static current-voltage (I-U) characteristics. The temperature of the substrate during bismuth deposition strongly influences both the optical and the electrical properties of the oxidized films. For lower values of intensity of electric field (ξ < 5 × 10⁴V/cm), I-U characteristics are ohmic.     

Surface modification of indium tin oxide films by amino ion implantation for the attachment of multi-wall carbon nanotubes

Amino ion implantation was carried out at the energy of 80 keV with fluence of 5 × 10¹⁵ ions cm⁻² for indium tin oxide film (ITO) coated glass, and the existence of amino group on the ITO surface was verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectra. Scanning electron microscopy images show that multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) directly attached to the amino ion implanted ITO (NH₂/ITO) surface homogeneously and stably. The resulting MWCNTs-attached NH₂/ITO (MWCNTs/NH₂/ITO) substrate can be used as electrode material. Cyclic voltammetry results indicate that the MWCNTs/NH₂/ITO electrode shows excellent electrochemical properties and obvious electrocatalytic activity towards uric acid, thus this material is expected to have potential in electrochemical analysis and biosensors.     

Enhanced electrical stability of flexible indium tin oxide films prepared on stripe SiO2 buffer layer-coated polymer substrates by magnetron sputtering

The electrical stability of flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) films fabricated on stripe SiO₂ buffer layer-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by magnetron sputtering was investigated by the bending test. The ITO thin films with stripe SiO₂ buffer layer under bending have better electrical stability than those with flat SiO₂ buffer layer and without buffer layer. Especially in inward bending text, the ITO thin films with stripe SiO₂ buffer layer only have a slight resistance change when the bending radius r is not less than 8 mm, while the resistances of the films with flat SiO₂ buffer layer and without buffer layer increase significantly at r = 16 mm with decreasing bending radius. This improvement of electrical stability in bending test is due to the small mismatch factor α in ITO-SiO₂, the enhanced interface adhesion and the balance of residual stress. These results indicate that the stripe SiO₂ buffer layer is suited to enhance the electrical stability of flexible ITO film under bending.     

退火处理对磁控溅射制备LaCoO_3薄膜性能的影响

采用磁控溅射法在硅衬底上制备了LaCoO_3(LCO)薄膜,研究了退火温度对LCO薄膜组织结构、表面形貌及热电特性的影响,并利用X射线衍射仪、原子力显微镜(AFM)、激光导热仪等对LCO薄膜的晶体结构、表面形貌、热扩散系数等进行测量与表征.结果表明:退火温度对LCO薄膜的结晶度、晶粒尺寸和薄膜表面形貌都有较大影响;退火前后LCO薄膜的热扩散系数都随温度的升高而减小,且变化速率逐渐减缓; LCO薄膜的热扩散系数随退化温度的升高先增大后减小.LCO薄膜经过700℃退火后得到最佳的综合性能,其薄膜表面致密、平整,结晶质量最好,热扩散系数最小,热电性能最好.     

Nanocomposite oxide thin films grown by pulsed energy beam deposition

Highly non-stoichiometric indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were grown by pulsed energy beam deposition (pulsed laser deposition-PLD and pulsed electron beam deposition-PED) under low oxygen pressure. The analysis of the structure and electrical transport properties showed that ITO films with a large oxygen deficiency (more than 20%) are nanocomposite films with metallic (In, Sn) clusters embedded in a stoichiometric and crystalline oxide matrix. The presence of the metallic clusters induces specific transport properties, i.e. a metallic conductivity via percolation with a superconducting transition at low temperature (about 6 K) and the melting and freezing of the In-Sn clusters in the room temperature to 450 K range evidenced by large changes in resistivity and a hysteresis cycle. By controlling the oxygen deficiency and temperature during the growth, the transport and optical properties of the nanocomposite oxide films could be tuned from metallic-like to insulating and from transparent to absorbing films.