High-purity WO3 sol–gel coatings: synthesis and characterization

Abstract

WO₃ thin films obtained by the sol–gel technique from ethanolic solutions of W₂[OC(CH₃)₃]₆ were deposited on pure silica and heat treated at different temperatures. Their chemical and structural characterization was obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–VIS spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The microstructure, morphology and the residual carbon content of the coatings were found to be highly dependent on the temperature of the heat treatment.