Microstructure and Optical Properties of Ag_xO Prepared by Direct-Current Magnetron-Sputtering Method

Two series of Ag_xO films are prepared on glass substrates by dc magnetron-sputtering method at room temperature and 90°C under different oxygen to argon gas ratio (OAR) conditions. The microstructure is investigated by XRD and SEM in order to obtain the information on the component evolution of
AgO+Ag₂O to Ag₂O. Its optical properties are investigated by reflectance and absorption spectroscopy to extract the information on metallic and dielectric behaviour evolution of Ag₂O, AgO and silver particles and the interband transition. The results indicate that the Ag_xO film prepared at room temperature is mainly made up of AgO and Ag₂O clusters while Ag₂O is the primary component of Ag_xO prepared at 90°C. The Ag_xO film mainly consisting of the primary component shows indirect interband transition
structure occurring at 2.89eV. Combination of increasing OAR and substrate temperature is an effective method to lower the threshold of thermal decomposition temperature of Ag_xO and to deal with the bottleneck of short-wavelength optical and magneto-optical storage.