XPS study of TiOx thin films deposited on glass substrates by the sol–gel process

Thin TiOx films deposited on quartz substrates have been studied using XPS and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It is found that different titanium oxide species coexist in the films. The dependencies of these species on the calcination temperature and film thickness are discussed. At the interface between the quartz substrate and the TiOx film, an oxygen deficiency is observed. Different diffusion mechanisms at the quartz/TiOx interface have been proposed to explain the behaviour of Si and Ti at low and high calcination temperatures.