Synthesis, phase to phase deposition and characterization of rutile nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films

In this work the preparation, deposition and structural properties of titanium oxide (TiO2) thin films were investigated. The films were deposited by means of the e-beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) method in high vacuum (10−7 Torr). A controlled deposition rate in the range of 0.1–0.3 Å/s was monitored in situ employing quartz crystal. The films were deposited on the oxidized Si (1 0 0) wafer, glass micro slides. These films were analyzed using Grazing Angle X-ray diffraction (GA-XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy (RAMAN), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and UV–visible Spectroscopy (UV–vis). Structural characterization results showed mainly presence of the crystalline rutile phase, however an interfacial SiO2 layer between TiO2 and the substrate and the minor anatase crystalline phase of TiO2 was also identified in FTIR analysis. Grain size was found to be in the range of 100–125 nm while grain boundary was estimated to be 20 nm. Direct and indirect optical band gap was estimated to be 3.64 and 3.04 eV, respectively. A process induced self annealing of deposited film shows a strong effect on the structural, morphological and optical properties. Furthermore, low deposition rate and high vacuum allows rutile to rutile phase transformation from indigenously prepared TiO2 target to thin film.