X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering study of thermal-induced phase transformation in vertically aligned TiO 2 nanocrystals grown on sapphire(1 0 0) via metal organic vapor deposition

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We report a detailed study of thermal-induced phase transformation in TiO 2 nanocrystals (NCs) via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering (RS) spectroscopy. Vertically aligned anatase TiO 2(1 1 0) NCs were grown on the sapphire (SA)(1 0 0) substrate at 550 °C by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, using titanium-tetraisopropoxide (TTIP, Ti[OCH(CH 3) 2] 4), as the source reagent. The effects of thermal annealing of TiO 2 NCs in oxygen atmosphere between 600 and 1000 °C were investigated. XRD and RS spectra showed the onset of the phase transformation process from the as-grown anatase TiO 2(1 1 0) NCs into rutile TiO 2(0 0 1) at the annealing temperature of 800 °C. At annealing temperature higher than 900 °C, pure rutile phase of TiO 2(0 0 1) NCs were formed and the crystalline quality of TiO 2 NCs could be further improved upon higher annealing temperature.