Effect of deposition method on the optical and microstructural properties of vacuum-deposited MgF2 thin films

The optical and structural properties of magnesium fluoride films deposited by conventional e-beam evaporation and sputtering have been investigated herein. Deposition processes were carried out on the glass substrates in the absence of any reactive gases. The results show that the deposition method has a considerable effect on the optical and microstructural properties MgF2 film. Also, the results show that the deposition parameters of the sputtered MgF2 films can be easily controlled to yield the desired layer. The optical, chemical, and structural properties of the deposited MgF2 films were characterized by using spectrophotometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy.