Structural and photocatalytic properties of TiO_2 films fabricated on silicon substrates by MOCVD method

Article type: Research Article

Authors: YANG, Jia-long | LI, Ying | WANG, Fu | ZUO, Liang | Yi, Gu-Chul | Choi, Wong Yong

Affiliations: College of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110006, China | PoHang University of Science and Technology, PoHang, Korea

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Silicon(111) and Silicon(100) were employed for fabrication of TiO_2 films by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Titanium (IV) isopropoxide (Ti[O(C_3H_7)_4]) was used as a precursor. The as-deposited TiO_2 films were characterized with FE-SEM, XRD and AFM. The photocatalytic properties were investigated by decomposition of aqueous Orange II. And UV-VIS photospectrometer was used for checking the absorption characteristics and photocatalytic degradation activity. The crystalline and structural properties of TiO_2 film had crucial influences on the photodegradation efficiency. For MOCVD in-situ deposited films on Si substrates, the photoactivities varied following a shape of "M": at lower (350°C), middle (500°C) and higher (800°C) temperature of deposition, relative lower photodegradation activities were observed. At 400°C and 700°C of deposition, relative higher efficiencies of degradation were obtained, because one predominant crystallite orientation could be obtained as deposition at the temperature of two levels, especially a single anatase crystalline TiO_2 film could be obtained at 700°C.

Keywords: MOCVD, photocatalystic degradation, Silicon(100), Silicon(111)

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 146-151, 2005