Structural and optoelectronic characterization of TiO2 films prepared using the sol–gel technique

Abstract

TiO2 is a versatile material that makes for fascinating study in any of its several physical forms: monocrystal, polycrystal, powder or thin film. Its enhanced photosensitivity to UV radiation and excellent chemical stability in acidic and aqueous media point to its excellent potential for use in a variety of applications, such as solar cells, electronic devices, chemical sensors and photocatalysts. Of late, thin films of TiO2 have permitted the study of physical and chemical properties that are almost impossible to examine in powders. Using the sol–gel technique, it was possible to prepare TiO2 films, and to specifically modify their characteristic properties by means of annealing treatments. Optical measurements carried out on sol–gel derived films produced results similar to those found in films prepared using the sputtering technique. The use of TiO2 films facilitates the study of the behaviour of crystalline structure, grain size, photoresponse, electrical conductivity in both darkness and light and energy band gap (Eg) as a function of treatment temperature. For the first time, it has been demonstrated that the photoconductivity of TiO2 becomes apparent at a treatment temperature of 350 °C, which means that below this temperature the material is not photosensitive. The photosensitivity (S) of TiO2 films prepared by the sol–gel technique reaches values between 100 and 104, surpassing by more than two orders of magnitude the photosensitivity of TiO2 in powder form. In addition, it was possible to study the surface crystalline structure, where TEM studies clearly revealed both the polycrystalline order and the atomic arrangements of the TiO2 films. Our findings will afford us an opportunity to better study the nature of TiO2 and to enhance its performance with respect to the above-mentioned applications.