Beta Particles impact on the Optical Properties of TiO₂ thin films

TiO₂ is a semiconductor with a wide band gap and is utilized in various applications, including photovoltaics, solar cells, and photocatalysis. In this work, TiO₂ thin films were fabricated using the doctor blade technique and deposited onto glass substrates. The purpose of the study was to investigate how beta irradiation affected the optical properties of the TiO₂ films. The produced samples' absorbance and photon energy were the main subjects of the measurements. While the samples exposed to beta rays for 30, 60, and 90 minutes had direct band gaps of 3.87 eV, 3.75 eV, and 3.66 eV, the sample that wasn't exposed to radiation had a direct energy band gap of 3.90 eV. After being exposed to radiation for 30, 60, and 90 minutes, the indirect band gap for the control sample dropped to 3.17eV, 3.02 eV, and 3.28 eV from its initial value of 3.21 eV. These findings show that the direct and indirect energy band gaps gradually decrease as the duration of beta irradiation increases.