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The aim of this paper is investigation of the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 thin films prepared by PECVD with metal nanoparticles built‐up on the film surface. The deposition of TiO2 films was carried out in the radio frequency (RF) low‐pressure PECVD reactor. Layers were deposited at two different substrate temperatures (40 and 300 °C). The surface of TiO2 films was subsequently covered by noble metal nanoparticles—silver, platinum, and gold, deposited by different methods. For determination of the photocatalytic decomposition the Acid orange 7 (AO7) C16H11N2NaO4S organic dye was used. Selected samples were used for antibacterial tests (Gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli). The results clearly proved that presence of metal clusters resulted in enhancement of the photocatalytic and antibacterial activity.

The PVD coatings were prepared using Sulzer Innotec's closed magnetic field unbalanced magnetron sputtering facility. The deposition parameters of bias and oxygen flow rate were varied. The prepared samples were analysed by RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry) to determine the Ti/O ratios and the thicknesses of the coatings, and by ERDA (elastic recoil detection analysis) to investigate the hydrogen content in the surface layer. XPS was used to characterize the near-surface composition and chemical bonding. Measurements of mechanical properties (hardness and thickness) were performed. We concluded from RBS analysis that Ti content is enhanced according to the increased bias and the decreased oxygen flow rate. We observed the increasing hardness in the case of the higher Ti content layers prepared. We found that a contaminated surface layer exists in which hydrogen, oxygen and carbon are incorporated.

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