Annealing Temperature-Driven Evolution of Structure, Morphology, and Optical Behavior in Cu-TiO2 Composite Films


ÖZEL K., GÜRAKAR S., Serin T., YILDIZ A.

Silicon, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s12633-025-03452-y
  • Journal Name: Silicon
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Keywords: Annealing temperature, Copper-Titanium oxide composite, Sol–gel deposition, Thin films
  • Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In the present study, we investigate how varying annealing temperatures affect the structural, morphological, and optical properties of copper-titanium oxide composite films deposited on quartz substrates. A range of characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and UV–Vis spectroscopy, were employed to analyze the changes in film characteristics. The results demonstrate that annealing temperature plays a critical role in determining the film’s structural integrity, surface morphology, and optical behavior. The crystallite size increased from 16.97 nm at 500 °C to 68.07 nm at 900 °C, while surface roughness rose significantly, reaching 148 nm at 1000 °C. In addition, SEM analysis showed that particle size expanded from 12.55 nm at 400 °C to 603.60 nm at 900 °C. Notably, a strong relationship was found between film transparency and these physical properties, with optical transmittance decreasing from approximately 69% at 400 °C to around 2% at 1000 °C. Based on the findings, the study proposes optimal annealing conditions for achieving high-quality thin films.