Abstract
SiO2 thin films were prepared with radio frequency magnetron sputtering on quartz glass substrates, and the effects of sputtering power on the stoichiometric ratio, microstructure, surface morphology and optical properties of the film within 300–1100 nm were investigated. The molar ratio of O/Si in the film increased continuously from 1.87 to 1.99, very close to the ideal stoichiometric ratio of 2:1 with the sputtering power decreasing from 150 to 60 W. And the surface of SiO2 thin film became more compact and flatter, and the roughness was significantly reduced. All the SiO2 films were amorphous, and the power had no obvious effect on the crystalline state of the film. When the sputtering power decreased from 150 to 60 W, the refractive index and absorptivity of SiO2 film in the range of 300–1100 nm decreased continuously, while the transmittance within 300–1100 nm of the coated quartz glass (hereinafter referred to as the transmittance of film) increased continuously, and the integrated transmittance increased from 92.7 to 93.0%.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bhatt, V., et al.: Silicon dioxide films by RF sputtering for microelectronic and MEMS applications. J. Micromech. Microeng. 17(5), 1066–1077 (2007)
Guo, Y.J., et al.: XPS investigation of diffusion of two-layer ZrO2/SiO2 and SiO2/ZrO2 sol–gel films. Optik 120, 1012–1015 (2009)
Guo, J., et al.: Room-temperature pulsed CVD-grown SiO2 protective layer on TiO2 particles for photocatalytic activity suppression. RSC Adv. 7(8), 4547–4554 (2017)
He, L.N., et al.: Properties of amorphous SiO2 films prepared by reactive RF magnetron sputtering method. Vacuum 68(2), 197–202 (2002)
Jiang, Y.G., et al.: Optical and interfacial layer properties of SiO2 films deposited on different substrates. Appl. Opt. 53(4), A83–A87 (2014)
Kawase, K., et al.: Mass densification and defect restoration in chemical vapor deposition silicon dioxide film using Ar plasma excited by microwave. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 32(5), 051502 (2014)
Kim, D.W.: The properties of multi-layered optical thin films fabricated by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering. J. Korean Inst. Surf. Eng. 52(4), 211–226 (2019)
Liang, Z.H., et al.: Double-function SiO2-DMS coating with antireflection and superhydrophobic surface. Chem. Phys. Lett. 716, 211–214 (2019)
Lin, W.S., et al.: Sol–gel preparation of self-cleaning SiO2–TiO2/SiO2–TiO2 double-layer antireflective coating for solar glass. Results Phys. 8, 532–536 (2018)
Liu, Z., et al.: Impact analysis and solution of solar array design in martian surface environment. Spacecr. Eng. 25(2), 39–45 (2016)
Ma, Q., et al.: Optimal design of quadruple-layer antireflection coating structure for conversion efficiency enhancement in crystalline silicon solar cells. Optik 177, 123–130 (2019)
Mazur, M., et al.: Functional photocatalytically active and scratch resistant antireflective coating based on TiO2 and SiO2. Appl. Surf. Sci. 380, 165–171 (2016)
Meenakshi, et al.: Blue shift in the optical bandgap of tin oxide thin films by controlling oxygen-to-argon gas flow ratio. Funct. Mater. Lett. 8(1), 1550014 (2015)
Ni, J.M., et al.: Improved visible transparency of SiO2/ZnO:Al/CeO2–TiO2/SiO2 multilayer films with high UV absorption and infrared reflection rate. J. Wuhan Univ. Technol. 30(5), 941–946 (2015)
Sun, X.Y., et al.: Preparation of wide-angle and abrasion-resistant multi-layer antireflective coatings by MgF2 and SiO2 mixed sol. Colloid Surf. A-Physicochem. Eng. Asp. 602, 125106 (2020)
Terrazas, J.M., et al.: Effect of oxygen to argon ratio on the properties of thin SiO (x) films deposited by r.f. sputtering. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 21(5), 481–485 (2010)
Wang, Y., et al.: Study on optical properties of SiO2/ZrO2 and ZrO2/SiO2 bilayer films prepared by sol–gel method. Optik 124, 2421–2423 (2013)
Wang, X.F., et al.: Physical Properties of Inorganic Materials, 1st edn., pp. 253–273. Chemical Industry Press, Beijing (2014)
Wang, J.D., et al.: Design and sol–gel preparation of SiO2/TiO2 and SiO2/SnO2/SiO2–SnO2 multilayer antireflective coatings. Appl. Surf. Sci. 422, 970–974 (2017)
Wu, W.F., et al.: Properties of radio frequency magnetron sputtered silicon dioxide films. Appl. Surf. Sci. 99(3), 237–243 (1996)
Zhao, Z.M., et al.: The study of structure and optical properties of nanoparticles(NPs)-Cu/SiO2 multilayer films deposited alternately by magnetron sputtering technique. J. Alloys Compd. 634, 281–287 (2015)
Zhong, D.S.: Vacuum Deposition, 1st edn., pp. 235–241. Liaoning University Publishing House, Shenyang (2001)
Acknowledgements
This work was partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51352002).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, C., Zhao, L., Liu, J. et al. Effect of sputtering power on the properties of SiO2 films grown by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Opt Quant Electron 53, 15 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-020-02639-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-020-02639-4