Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2011-03, Vol.22 (3), p.260-264
• Main Authors: Pawar, S. G., Patil, S. L., Chougule, M. A., Jundale, D. M., Patil, V. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Heat treatment; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials Science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Metals. Metallurgy; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanocrystals; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Production techniques; Rutile; Sol gel process; Spin coating; Thin films; Titanium dioxide; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-010-0125-8

Nanocrystalline thin films of TiO 2 have been synthesized by sol gel spin coating technique Thin films of TiO 2 annealed at 700 °C were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy, High resolution TEM and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), The XRD shows formation of tetragonal anatase and rutile phases with lattice parameters a  = 3.7837 Å and c  = 9.5087 Å. The surface morphology of the TiO 2 films showed that the nanoparticles are fine with an average grain size of about 60 nm. Optical studies revealed a high absorption coefficient (10 4  cm −1 ) with a direct band gap of 3.24 eV. The films are of the n type conduction with room temperature electrical conductivity of 10 −6 (Ω cm) −1 .