The effect of the deposition method on the optical properties of SiO2 thinfilms

Three films of SiO2 deposited by three different methods (chemical vapor de position, electron beam evaporation and r.f. sputtering) were studied to sh ow the effect of the method of preparation on the optical constants of the films. Of the three studied films, the film prepared by electron beam gun d eposition showed refractive index values (n) close to the bulk material in the spectral range 300-850 nm. No values for the absorption constant (k) we re determined except for the film prepared by r.f. sputtering, which showed higher k values due to the non-stoichiometric structure of the film. (C) 2 001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.