Crystallized TiO2 film growth on unheated substrates by pulse-powered magnetron sputtering

Crystallized TiO2 films were successfully grown in situ without heating by bipolar-pulse sputtering method at high deposition rates (∼40 nm/min). The optical emission study of the sputtering plasma during growth revealed that the “pulse geometry” had a great influence on the electron/ion temperature of the plasma. It was revealed that the crystallization and the accompanying enhancement in the photocatalytic activity were not caused by the “temperature effect” but caused by the “plasma effect”.