Effect of substrate temperature on the properties of TiO2 nanoceramic films

TiO2 nanoceramic films were deposited on glasses by rf magnetron sputtering. This method provides more advantages in controlling the microstructure and composition of the films. TiO preferentially formed and the deposited films tended to become nonstoichiometric by increasing substrate temperature. The morphologies and hydrophilic properties of TiO2 films were significantly affected by the substrate temperature. The nonlinear refractive index of the TiO2 film on the glass substrate measured by Moiré deflectometry was of the order of 10−8 cm2 W−1. Smaller grain size, higher optical energy gap, visible transmission and linear refractive index, and lower stress-optical coefficient were obtained at lower substrate temperature.