DEPOSITION BY LASER-ABLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TITANIUM-DIOXIDEFILMS ON POLYETHYLENE-TEREPHTHALATE

Thin titanium dioxide films have been deposited on polyethylene-tereph thalate (PET) by laser ablation deposition technique. The experiments were performed with a quadrupled Nd:YAG laser (266 MI) and an ArF exci mer laser (193 nm), at room temperature and without any oxygen additio n during the ablation. The as-prepared films have been characterized b y various techniques: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-Ray Diffr action (XRD), X-Ray Microprobe, Laser Microprobe Mass Spectrometry (LM MS), and ellipsometry. For this last technique the titanium dioxide fi lms were deposited onto a silicon substrate. The thicknesses of the fi lms are ranging between 100 and 150 nm. Their surfaces are smooth and the presence of some holes (diameter < 1 mu m) and of some particles c an be noticed. The films are amorphous and non-stoichiometric. Their e lectrical resistivity of about 1 Omega . cm at room temperature is ind icative of a semiconductor material behaviour.