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Optical characteristics of transparent samarium oxide thin films deposited by the radio-frequency sputtering technique

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Abstract

Transparent metal oxide thin films of samarium oxide (Sm2O3) were prepared on pre-cleaned fused optically flat quartz substrates by radio-frequency (RF) sputtering technique. The as-deposited thin films were annealed at different temperatures (873, 973 and 1073 K) for 4 h in air under normal atmospheric pressure. The topological morphology of the film surface was characterized by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical properties of the as-prepared and annealed thin films were studied using their reflectance and transmittance spectra at nearly normal incident light. The estimated direct optical band gap energy (\(E_{\mathrm {g}}^{\mathrm {d}}\)) values were found to increase by increasing the annealing temperatures. The dispersion curves of the refractive index of Sm2O3 thin films were found to obey the single oscillator model.

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Acknowledgements

Authors gratefully acknowledge Taif University (project #1-435-3629) for the financial assistance and facilitation of our study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, 888, Saudi Arabia

    A A ATTA, M M ABD EL-RAHEEM, A ALHUTHALI, ALI BADAWI & AMAR MERAZGA

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757, Cairo, Egypt

    A A ATTA & M M EL-NAHASS

  3. Materials Science Unit, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, 31725, Tanta, Egypt

    KHALED M ELSABAWY

  4. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, 888, Saudi Arabia

    KHALED M ELSABAWY

  5. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag, 82524, Egypt

    M M ABD EL-RAHEEM

  6. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Humanity Studies at Al-Quwayiyah, Shaqra University, Al-Quwayiyah, 11971, Saudi Arabia

    A M HASSANIEN

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  1. A A ATTA
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  2. M M EL-NAHASS
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Correspondence to A A ATTA.

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ATTA, A.A., EL-NAHASS, M.M., ELSABAWY, K.M. et al. Optical characteristics of transparent samarium oxide thin films deposited by the radio-frequency sputtering technique. Pramana - J Phys 87, 72 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-016-1285-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-016-1285-8

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