Morphological and structural studies of WOx thin films deposited by laser ablation

Tungsten oxide is an interesting compound with many applications in gas sensors, electrochromic and photochromic devices. Thin films of tungsten oxide were obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and radio frequency assisted PLD (RF-PLD). A tungsten target was ablated in reactive oxygen atmosphere (0.01-0.05 mbar). The deposition parameters such as laser fluence, substrate temperature, radiofrequency power were varied, while different materials (Corning glass and silicon) have been used as substrates. The obtained films showed good adhesion to the substrate and uniform surface aspect, which are important properties for applications. X-ray diffraction, Auger electron, Raman spectroscopies and atomic force microscopy were used for characterization.