Some optical properties of intrinsic and doped UO2 thin films

Thin films of depleted uranium dioxide were made using the sol-gel approach. Films were deposited onto sapphire and MgO substrates that were 0.1 mm thick. Film thickness ranged from 1540 Å to 2470 Å. Intrinsic films were made as were films doped with aluminum, fluorine, phosphorus, nitrogen, and boron. Dopant concentrations ranged from 1019 to 1021 atoms/cc. Optical transmission data obtained on these samples revealed a range in bandgap from 2.0 to 2.5 eV identifying this as a wide bandgap semiconductor.