The effect of different ambient gases, pressures, and substrate temperatures on TiO 2 thin films grown on Si(100) by laser ablation technique

Abstract

Pure titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films were deposited on single-crystal Si(100) substrates by laser ablation. We investigated the effects of ambient gas (O2 or Ar), pressures, and substrate temperatures on film quality. From the annealing experiment of the deposited TiO2 thin film under Ar or O2 ambient gas, we see the chemical effect of ambient gas on film quality. The crystallinity of the deposited TiO2 thin film is best at 700 °C in the substrate temperature range attempted, 400–700 °C, and at pressures of 0.1 Torr and below. The rutile phase is dominant under most experimental conditions. Only under very extreme conditions did we obtain a thin film of the anatase phase.