Annealing effect on the physical properties of TiO2 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

Y Alaya; R Souissi; M Toumi; M Madani; L El Mir; N Bouguila; S Alaya

doi:10.1039/d3ra02387g

Annealing effect on the physical properties of TiO₂ thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

RSC Adv. 2023 Jul 19;13(32):21852-21860. doi: 10.1039/d3ra02387g.

Authors

Y Alaya¹, R Souissi², M Toumi¹, M Madani¹, L El Mir¹, N Bouguila¹, S Alaya¹

Affiliations

¹ Gabès University, Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et des Nanomatériaux Appliquée à l'Environnement, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès Cité Erriadh, Zrig 6072 Gabès Tunisia bouguila.nour@gmail.com.
² Carthage University, Laboratoire des Matériaux, Molécules et Applications IPEST BP 51, La Marsa 2070, Tunis Tunisia.

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films were deposited on glass substrates at 350 °C using the spray pyrolysis technique. As deposited and annealed thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and photodetection. Unlike the as deposited samples which were amorphous, annealed samples show an anatase phase. Films were absorbent in the UV region and the band gap energy decreases from 3.78 eV to 3.4 eV with annealing. The photoresponse of TiO₂ photodetectors was recorded under UV (λ₁ = 365 nm, λ₂ = 254 nm) and visible light illumination by reversible switching (ON/OFF) cycles using DC electrical characterization. Photosensitive properties such as reproducible photosensitivity, responsivity, and detectivity were also studied.