InSb-added TiO2 nanocomposite films by RF sputtering

This study investigates the preparation of InSb-added TiO2 nanocomposite films by RF sputtering. The optical absorption spectra are obviously shifted to visible and near-infrared regions. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that sphere-shaped InSb nanocrystals with a size of about 15 nm are dispersed in a matrix. The X-ray diffraction result reveals that the matrix forms a phase mixture of TiO2 and In2O3, which is also produced by decomposing the InSb during postannealing at 723 K. Therefore, the absorption shift is clearly due to quantum size effects of the InSb nanocrystals embedded in the wide-gap oxides TiO2 and In2O3.