Preparation and Characterization of TiO2-SiO2 Thin Films

Sol-gel, is a method being used for preperation of thin films for a very long time. Its easy application process with easily available equipments that are used and the low process temperatures are the reasons for being utilized this much. A very common thin film type, TiO2-SiO2, that has been used in optical applications for a long time, is the basic structure involved in this research. In this work, the titania (TiO2) and the silica (SiO2) solutions which had been preperated seperately, were mixed with different ratios, and the differences between these mixtures that might had been occurred were investigated. The glass substrates, which had been cleaned with a special method were dipped into the mixed solutions with a constant speed which they had exactly the same while they were being withdrawned. After being dried in mid-air for a while, they were heated to 150 degree and then were dipped again. Once the number of the layers that was required is reached with reprocesses, the substrates were heated to 600 degree. The optical and the structural properties of the films deposited on the substrates were investigated. Some differences in optical properties of these films that were produced from different ratios of solutions were observed as result