Effects of oxygen partial pressure on structural and gasochromic properties of sputtered VOx thin films

VOx films were deposited by radio-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering from a vanadium target in an Ar-O-2 gas mixture and pure O-2. For the films deposited in the gas mixture, the Ar flow rate was controlled at 20 sccm and the oxygen flow rate was controlled at 1, 3, and 5 sccm, respectively. A thin (similar to 5 nm) Pt layer was deposited on the VOx thin films as a hydrogen catalyst. The long-range structural order, short-range atom arrangement, and gasochromic properties of the deposited films were studied. The grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) results indicate that the deposited films are amorphous. Lamellar structures were found at oxygen flow rates of 3 sccm and above. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) results show that the short-range atom arrangement of the lamellar VOx thin films is similar to that of crystal V2O5. The GIXRD and XAS results show that the film obtained with the gas mixture and at an oxygen flow rate of 1 sccm did not significantly change after exposure to hydrogen, whereas the other films exhibited decreased interlayer distance, oxidation state, and crystallinity. The color of the films changed from light or deep yellow to gray. The results suggest that the gasochromic properties of the VOx thin films are related to the V2O5-like atom arrangement and the interlayer distance of the lamellar structure. The films deposited with an oxygen flow rate of 3 sccm and above can be applied to H-2 gas sensors. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.