Synthesis and Characterization of Nb-Doped TiO₂ Thin Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract:

Amorphous Nb-doped TiO₂ thin films were deposited on (100) Si and glass substrates at room temperature by RF magnetron sputtering and a mosaic-type Nb₂O₅-TiO₂ sputtering target. To adjust the amount of the niobium dopant in the film samples, appropriate numbers of Nb₂O₅ pellets were placed on the circular area of the magnetron target with intensive sputtering. By adjusting the discharge conditions and the number of niobium oxide pellets, films with dopant content varying between 0 and 16.2 at.% were prepared, as demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the as-deposited samples showed the lack of crystalline ordering in the samples. Surfaces roughness and energy band gap values increase with dopant concentration, as showed by atomic force microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 1117)
• Pages: 139-142
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1117.139
• Online since: July 2015
• Authors: Marius Dobromir, Radu Paul Apetrei, Alexander V. Rogachev, Dmitry L. Kovalenko, Dumitru Luca
• Keywords: Nb-Doped TiO₂, RF Magnetron Sputtering, Thin Film

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