TiO2 thin films synthesized by the spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) technique

Anatase-type TiO2 thin films with high transmittance (>70%) in the visible region were successfully synthesized on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) technique. Two kinds of starting solutions, TiCl4 ethanol solution and Ti(i-OC3H7)(4) 2-propanol solution with TiCl4 as an additive were prepared separately. The TiO2 thin film obtained from the former solution showed the preferred orientation along the [101] direction. However, a 1.5 mu m thick film from the latter solution revealed almost the same transmittance as a 200 nm thick film from the former. The result indicates that the complexes produced by adding TiCl4 in Ti(i-OC3H7)(4) 2-propanol solution plays an important role in the mechanism of the crystallization of TiO2. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.