XRD and AFM studies of nanocrystalline TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films prepared by modified magnetron sputtering

Abstract

In this work, influence of magnetron sputtering parameters on structural properties of TiO2 thin films has been outlined. Titanium dioxide thin films were deposited on silicon substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering method. Structural properties of deposited thin films were investigated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), while diversification of surface topography was examined using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) method. XRD results have shown that different TiO2 phase was received depending on sputtering parameters. Thin films prepared at low pressure of reactive gas and with a hot target, after deposition process have the TiO2 - anatase structure, which passed into the TiO2 -rutile after additional annealing at 1070 K. Modification of sputtering conditions which leads to enhanced energy of deposition, results in the formation of the TiO2 - rutile structure observed in all as-prepared thin films. AFM studies have revealed nanocrystalline structure and existing densification of prepared thin films, which depends on deposition parameters.