Low temperature sol-gel metal oxide and fluoride layer stacks for optical applications

MgF2 and TiO2 single layers and layer stacks were produced by a spin-coating sol-gel process. The final temperature treatment was carried out at 100 °C. The layers were deposited onto silicon and fused silica substrates and were analysed by means of atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ellipsometry, and UV–vis transmission spectroscopy. MgF2 and TiO2 single layers have morphological and optical properties comparable with physical vapour deposited layers. By using spectroscopic mapping ellipsometry, a good inter- and intra-sample homogeneity was confirmed. Multiple deposition steps result in a linear increase of layer thickness. Various films were deposited with thicknesses between 25 nm and 350 nm.It was shown that the low temperature sol-gel process results in films of optical quality. Anti-reflective and high reflective layer stacks consisting of MgF2 and TiO2 were designed and can be produced now by a sol-gel process, whereas the MgF2 layers in the layer stacks contains also traces of MgF2–2xOx.