Radio-frequency assisted pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured WOx films

The synthesis of tungsten oxide films with large surface area is promising for gas sensing applications. Thin WOx films were obtained by radio-frequency assisted pulsed laser deposition (RF-PLD). A tungsten target was ablated at 700 and 900 Pa in reactive oxygen, or in a 50% mixed oxygen-helium atmosphere at the same total pressure values. Corning glass was used as substrate, at temperatures including 673, 773 and 873 K. Other deposition parameters such as laser fluence (4.5 J cm−2), laser wavelength (355 nm), radiofrequency power (150 W), target to substrate distance (4 cm), laser spot area (0.7 mm2), and number of laser shots (12,000) were kept fixed. The sensitivity on the deposition conditions of morphology, nanostructure, bond coordination, and roughness of the obtained films were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy.