Effects of filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition (FCVAD) conditions on photovoltaic TiO2 films

Abstract

• Titanium dioxide films were synthesized using the FCVAD technique. • Various FCVAD conditions were tested. • The TiO 2 films were characterized. • The FCVAD condition effects on the film characteristics were studied. • The O 2 pressure had the most important effect on the film quality. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) films for photovoltaic applications were synthesized using filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition (FCVAD) technique. Various deposition conditions were tested for an optimal film formation. The conditions included the oxygen (O 2 ) pressure which was varied from a base pressure 10 −5 to 10 −4 , 10 −3 , 10 −2 and 10 −1 Torr, sample holder bias varied using 0 or −250 V, deposition time varied from 10, 20 to 30 min, and deposition distance varied from 1 to 3 cm. The deposited films were also annealed and compared with unannealed ones. The films under various conditions were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The film transparency increased and thickness decreased to a nanoscale with increasing of the O 2 pressure. The transparent deposited films contained stoichiometric titanium and oxygen under the medium O 2 pressure. The as-deposited films were TiO 2 containing some rutile but no anatase which needed annealing to form.