Structural and optical characteristics of n-TiO2 thin films by sol-gel method

The present work reports the fabrication and optical characterization of n-TiO₂ thin film prepared by sol-gel method. Sol-gel solution of TiO₂ was prepared using titanium isopropoxide and hydrochloric acid as a precursor and stabilizer, respectively. As-deposited, TiO₂ thin film on p-Si and glass substrates have the thickness of ~120 nm. The surface morphology and crystallinity of the as-deposited TiO₂ thin film have been determined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. SEM and AFM images shows that as-deposited TiO₂ thin film is homogeneous, cracks free and uniform in nature. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the as-grown TiO₂ thin films have anatase phase. The optical properties of TiO₂ thin film have been analyzed by UV-Vis, reflectance and transmission spectrum. Our results suggest that as-deposited TiO₂ thin films are a promising candidate material for the photodetectors applications, mainly in the UV region.