No abstract

Ti x Si 1−x O 2 thin films were formed onto unheated p-silicon and quartz substrates by sputtering composite target of Ti 80 Si 20 using reactive DC magnetron sputtering method. The as-deposited films were annealed in oxygen atmosphere at different temperatures in the range 400-900 • C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic indicated that the as-deposited films formed at oxygen flow rate of 8 sccm were of Ti 0.7 Si 0.3 O 2. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the as-deposited films were amorphous. The films annealed at 800 • C were exhibited broad (101) peak which indicated the growth of nanocrystalline with anatase phase of TiO 2. The crystallite size of the films increased from 9 to 12 nm with increase of annealing temperature from 800 to 900 • C, respectively, due to increase in crystallinity and decrease in defect density. XPS spectra of annealed films showed the characteristic core level binding energies of the constituent Ti 0.7 Si 0.3 O 2. Optical band gap decreased from 4.08 to 3.95 eV and the refractive index decreased from 2.11 to 2.08 in the as-deposited and the films annealed at 900 • C due to decrease in the lattice strain and dislocation density.

No abstract