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Effects of nitrogen doping on optical properties of TiO2 thin films

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Abstract

The potential for extending the optical absorption range of TiO2 by doping with nonmetallic elements was examined in nitrogen-containing TiO2 thin films. Thin films of TiO2-xNx were synthesized on glass and silicon substrates by ion-beam-assisted deposition to obtain a wide range of nitrogen concentrations. The compositions of the films were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The structures of the films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The optical properties of the films were measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy and ellipsometry. A characteristic decreasing trend in band-gap values of the films was observed within a certain range of increasing dopant concentrations. As the nitrogen concentration increased, the structure of the films evolved from a well-defined anatase to deformed anatase. The reduced band gaps are associated with the N 2p orbital in the TiO2-xNx films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    P.-G. Wu, C.-H. Ma & J.K. Shang

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  1. P.-G. Wu
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  2. C.-H. Ma
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  3. J.K. Shang
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Correspondence to J.K. Shang.

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PACS

78.66.-w; 78.20.Ci

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Wu, PG., Ma, CH. & Shang, J. Effects of nitrogen doping on optical properties of TiO2 thin films. Appl. Phys. A 81, 1411–1417 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-3101-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-004-3101-4

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