On the phase formation of titanium oxide films grown by reactive high power pulsed magnetron sputtering

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering is used for the growth of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) films at different working pressures and orientations of the substrate with respect to the target surface. In the case of substrates oriented parallel to the target surface, the increase in the working pressure from 0.5 to 3 Pa results in the growth of crystalline TiO(2) films with phase compositions ranging from rutile to anatase/rutile mixtures. When depositions are performed on substrates placed perpendicularly to the target surface, rutile films that consist of TiO(2) nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous matrix are obtained at 0.5 Pa. Increase in the working pressure leads to the deposition of amorphous films. These findings are discussed in the light of the energetic bombardment provided to the growing film at the various deposition conditions.