UV laser irradiation-induced crystallization in titania thick films prepared using a sol-gel method

Abstract EN

Titanium dioxide films of 5 μm thickness have been deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by dip-coating from a suspension of titanium dioxide powder prepared using a sol-gel route.

After a heat-treatment, the obtained films have been irradiated using ArF excimer laser.

The effect of the laser fluence, ranging between 115 mJ/cm2 and 495 mJ/cm2; on the crystallization of the deposited films has been studied.

The irradiated areas were characterized using micro-Raman spectroscopy.

While the as-deposited films were amorphous, irradiated areas display anatase or rutile crystalline structures, depending on the laser fluence.

The corresponding local temperature range was evaluated to 700-800°C.

Moreover, the apparent darkening of the layer when increasing the laser fluence was attributed to a re-arrangement of particles under laser-annealing.