Analysis of the impact of post-process modifications on the properties of TiO2 thin films with high-temperature stable anatase phase deposited by the electron beam evaporation method

The paper describes the structural, optical, tribological, and mechanical properties of as‑prepared and annealed titanium dioxide (TiO2) coatings. TiO2 films were deposited by the electron beam evaporation (EBE) and additionally annealed at a temperature up to 800 °C using a tubular furnace. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis identified the amorphous phase of coatings as-prepared and annealed at 200 °C. The phase transition to anatase occurred at 400 °C, while annealing at 600 °C and 800 °C did not induce a phase transition to the rutile phase. The crystallite size increased with an annealing up to 40.4 nm at 800 °C. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the anatase phase in thin films annealed at 400 °C and above. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed surface morphology and grain structure changes after post-process high-temperature annealing. The optical transmission measurements showed a redshift in the fundamental absorption edge with increasing annealing temperature, accompanied by a decreased transparency level. The value of an optical band gap energy (Egopt) decreased to 2.77 eV for films annealed at 800 °C. Tribological tests revealed reduced scratch resistance with higher annealing temperatures, which was attributed to increased surface roughness and coating removal. Nanoindentation measurements showed a decrease in hardness with annealing temperature, attributed to changes in crystallite size and surface morphology. This comprehensive analysis of TiO2 thin-film coatings showed that the post-process annealing should be carefully controlled for films used in optoelectronic applications.