Optical, surface, and microstructural properties of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ thin films coated by RF magnetron sputtering

ABSTRACT

Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ thin films were deposited on glass substrates by the RF magnetron sputtering method in an argon gas atmosphere at different powers. Some properties of the coated Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ films were examined using some techniques. Structural characteristics of the produced Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ films were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ phases were identified as (311) and (222). The surface morphology of the produced Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ films was investigated using an atomic force microscope. The transmittance and the absorbance were measured using a UV–vis spectrophotometer. The transmittance values were around 88% and 90%. The absorbance values were approximately 0.053 and 0.048. The film thickness values were 140 and 50 nm. The transparency values of the produced films were high. The optical band gap values of the produced LTO films were calculated as ∼3.8 eV. The refractive index and the reflectance spectra values of samples were determined using interferometer measurements. The refractive index values were 1.51 and 1.44 at 550 nm, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Anode materials
• Li₄Ti₅O₁₂
• plasma
• RF magnetron sputter technique
• thin film electrodes