Structural and optical investigations of TiO2 films deposited on transparent substrates by sol-gel technique

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2009-03, Vol.471 (1-2), p.244-247
• Main Authors: SUDHIR KUMAR SHARMA, VISHWAS, M, NARASIMHA RAO, K, MOHAN, S, SREEKANTHA REDDY, D, GOWDA, K. V. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanocrystals and nanoparticles; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2008.03.058

An inexpensive and effective simple method for the preparation of nano-crystalline titanium oxide (anatase) thin films at room temperature on different transparent substrates is presented. This method is based on the use of peroxo-titanium complex, i.e. titanium isopropoxide as a single initiating organic precursor. Post-annealing treatment is necessary to convert the deposited amorphous film into titanium oxide (TiO2) crystalline (anatase) phase. These films have been characterized for X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies, atomic force microscopic (AFM) studies and optical measurements. The optical constants such as refractive index and extinction coefficient have been estimated by using envelope technique. Also, the energy gap values have been estimated using Tauc's formula for on glass and quartz substrates are found to be 3.35 eV and 3.39 eV, respectively.