Microstructural, optical, and mechanical properties of reactive electron-beam-coevaporated TiO(2)-MgF(2) composite...

The composition-dependent structural, microstructural, optical, and mechanical properties of TiO(2)-MgF(2) composite films prepared by reactive electron-beam coevaporation at a substrate temperature of 280 °C are systematically investigated with an x-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscope, spectrophotometer and varied angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry, and microhardness tester, respectively. A comparison of the films prepared by reactive ion-assisted coevaporation shows that the films prepared by reactive electron-beam coevaporation have lower refractive indices and hardnesses. However, TiO(2)-MgF(2) composite films prepared by both techniques exhibit similar softening and hardening phenomena and similar microstructures.