Preparation of TiO_2 thin film by the LPD method on functionalized organic self-assembled monolayers

In this paper, uniform titania (TiO2) films have been formed at 50℃ on silanol SAMs by the liquid-phase deposition (LPD) method at a temperature below 100℃. OTS (Octadecyltrichloro-Silane) selfassembled monolayers (SAMs) on glass wafers were used as substrates for the deposition of titanium dioxide thin films. This functionalized organic surface has shown to be effective for promoting the growth of films from titanic aqueous solutions by the LPD method at a low temperature below 100℃. The crystal phase composition, microstructure and topography of the as-prepared films were characterized by various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results indicate that the as-prepared thin films are purely crystallized anatase TiO2 constituted by nanorods after being annealed at 500℃. The pH values, concentration of reactants, and deposition temperatures play important roles in the growth of TiO2 thin films.