Effect of substrate temperature on the structure and optical properties of the Ta2O5 thin film

Ta2O5 thin films were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The microstructure, morphology and optical properties of the films deposited at different substrate temperature were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and spectrophotometer. The Ta2O5 thin film begin to crystallized when substrate temperature reach to 450°C. The films were amorphous when temperature was less than 450°C, and the transmittance of thin films would increase with the enhancing substrate temperature. The highest transmittance during visible light region was 85%. In other hand, when the films were crystallization, they would produce a lot of crystalline particles, which would cause scattering, reduce the transmittance. The results showed that substrate temperature had a close relationship with the structure and crystalline properties and optical properties of the Ta2O5 thin films.