Structural and electrical properties of TiO2 RF sputtered thin films

The samples were obtained by a RF sputtering technique onto glass substrate s covered with indium till oxide (ITO). The film structure was modified by doping with different impurities like Nb (0.35 at.%) and Fe (1 at.%). The m orfology of the thin films was analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) an d their structure by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The dependencies of the elect rical conductivity versus inverse temperature, In sigma =f(10(3)/T) were st udied in a wide range of temperature (from 13 to 500 K) and activation ener gies were obtained for different domains of temperature. The changes in the electrical properties of the titanium dioxide thin films were correlated w ith the observed changes in their structure. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.