Microstructure and optical dispersion characterization of nanocomposite sol-gel TiO2-SiO2 thin films with different compositions
Abstract
Nanocomposite TiO2-SiO2 thin films with different compositions (from 0 to 100 mol% TiO2) were deposited by sal-gel dip-coating method on silicon substrate. Crystal structure, chemical bonding configuration, composition and morphology evolutions with composition were followed by Raman scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy respectively. The refractive index and the extinction coefficient were derived in a broad band wavelength (250-900 nm) from spectroscopic ellipsometry data with high accuracy and correlated with composition and microstructure. Results showed an anatase structure for 100% TiO2 with a grain size in 6-10 nm range. Whereas, the inclusion of SiO2 enlarges the optical band gap and suppresses the grain growth up to 4 nm in size. High TiO2 dispersion in SiO2 matrix was observed for all mixed materials. The refractive index (at lambda = 600 nm) increases linearly with composition from 1.48 (in 100% SiO2) to 2.22 (in 100% TiO2) leading to lower dense material, its dispersion being discussed in terms of the Wemple-DiDomenico single oscillator model. Hence, the optical parameters, such optical dispersion energies E-D and E-d, the average oscillators, strength S-0 and wavelength lambda(0) and the ratio of the carrier concentration to the effective mass N/m* have been derived. The analysis revealed a strong dependence on composition and structure. The optical response was also investigated in term of complex optical conductivity (sigma) and both volume and surface energy loss functions (VELF and SELF).