Structural and Optical Properties of SiOx/Au/SiOx Layer Films on the Effect of Rapid Thermal Annealing Process

Abstract

In this work, layered of silicon suboxide/gold/silicon suboxide (SiO x /Au/SiO x ) films were prepared by using hot-wire plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HW-PECVD) system. The films prepared underwent rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process for time periods of 100s, 500s and 700s at temperature of 800 o C in vacuum. The effects of RTA on the structural and morphology from FE-SEM, Auger and XRD measurement of the films were studied. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect exhibited by Au particles was obtained from the optical absorption spectra. SPR peaks were exhibited by films which annealed for long time duration. The band gap energy of the annealed samples was found to be in the range of 1.8 to 2.05 eV.