Physical Properties of Silver Oxide Thin Film Prepared by DC Magnetron Sputtering: Effect of Oxygen Partial Pressure During Growth

Abstract

In this paper the physical properties of silver oxide thin film have been prepared on BK7 substrate at room temperature by reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique using pure silver metal target by varying oxygen partial pressure during growth at reported. The reactive sputter gas was a mixture of Ar (99.999%) and N₂ (99.999%) with the different ratio Ar and N₂ by volume at the constant pressure of the growth chamber. The X-ray diffraction measurements showed that by increasing O₂ volume during the Growth, change in crystalline structure will occur. The Atomic Force Microscope images shown by increasing O₂ volume, the RMS roughness decreasing consistently. The thickness of the thin films decreases (from 353 to 230 nm) with increasing oxygen partial pressure in chamber. The reflectivity of thin films was investigated with a spectrophotometer system, and the surface reflectivity measurements indicate that by increasing O₂ volume growth, the optical properties of the films changes.