Low temperature preparation of transparent, antireflective TiO2 films deposited at different O2/Ar ratios by microwave electron cyclotron resonance magnetron sputtering

A serial of crystalline titanium oxide ceramic films were deposited at low temperature using microwave electron cyclotron resonance (MW-ECR) magnetron sputtering with different O2/Ar ratios. The influences of O2/Ar ratio on the deposition rate, morphology, crystalline nature, optical adsorption property of the obtained titanium oxide thin films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV–Vis spectra. Therefore, the optimum O2/Ar ratio for deposition of anatase TiO2 thin films on unheated glass substrate was realized in a MW-ECR magnetron sputtering process. The as-deposited anatase TiO2 films were transparent and were antireflective in the visible region.

► MW-ECR as the sputtering technique.
► Good quality TiO2 films were grown on glass substrate at low temperature.
► O2/Ar ratios mainly affect the MW-ECR plasma and the sputtering mode greatly.
► Best O2/Ar ratio to get the TiO2 film by MW-ECR was found to be 1/4.