STUDY OF SOLAR SELECTIVE ABSORBANCE PROPERTIES FOR RF SPUTTERED AND OXIDIZED THIN FILMS

Abstract

The first part of this work studies the optical properties of Al, Ti, and TiNi thin films deposited on both Al and stainless-steel substrates using RF PVD sputtering technique. The second part covers the effect of heat treatment (oxidation) of the as deposited thin films on SS substrates in air at 400 and 800ºC on their optical properties. In the third part, structural and microstructure of the as-deposited thin films and oxidized thin films are studied. The optical properties of all thin films before and after oxidation are characterized by spectrophotometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology and structure are studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-ray (EDAX). It was found that the optical absorbance of the sputtered thin films exhibits a change after oxidation at 400C and increases with a stable profile in ultraviolet (UV), visible, and near infrared (IR) ranges.