Reactively sputtered TeOx optical recording media

Telluriom suboxide (TeOx) thin films have been obtained by R.F. reactive sputtering deposition by using a Te target and an Ar-O2 gas mixture. This technique of preparation has been shown to be a valid method because it is possible to easily obtain films with desired characteristics by an appropriate selection of the deposition conditions. Different samples were prepared by changing both the R.F. power (80-300 Watt) and the oxygen concentration in the sputtering gas. The films were analyzed in order to study their optical characteristics and the morphology before and after heat treatment. In particular, transmissivity and reflectivity have been found to change markedly by thermal treatment and critical temperatures in the range 120-150 grades centigrade. This property makes these films suitable for optical recording with a low output power laser diode