Variation of Morphology and Optical Properties of PVD Coated Titanium Dioxide Layers at Different Oxygen Flows

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films were deposited on glass substrates under HV conditions at room temperature by the physical vapor deposition method. Produced titanium thin films were post-annealed at 573 K at different oxygen flows (0, 9 and 23 cm³/s). The influence of different oxygen flows on nano-structure, crystallography, and optical parameters of TiO₂ films was investigated by XRD, AFM, and spectrophotometer in the UV-VIS wavelength range. Other optical parameters were calculated using the Kramers-Kronig computational method on reflectivity curves. The XRD pattern displays the anatase phase for TiO₂ thin films. With increasing oxygen flow, it became highly transparent in the visible range. It was found that the optical absorption decreased from the UV to near IR region. Various optical parameters such as n, k, σ₁ and σ₂ have been discussed.