Effects of Thermal Annealing on the Optical Properties of Titanium Oxide Thin Films Prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition Technique

A titanium oxide thin film was prepared by chemical bath deposition technique, deposited on glass substrates using TiO2 and NaOH solution with triethanolamine (TEA) as the complexing agent. The films w ere subjected to post deposition annealing under various temperatures, 100, 150, 200, 300 and 399oC. The thermal treatment streamlined the properties of the oxide films. The films are transparent in the entire regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, firmly adhered to the substrate and resistant to chemicals. The transmittance is between 20 and 95% while the reflectance is between 0.95 and 1%. The band gaps obtained under various thermal treatments are between 2.50 and 3.0 ev. The refractive index is between 1.52 and 2.55. The thickness achieved is in the range of 0.12-0.14 :m.These properties of the oxide film make it suitable for application in solar cells: Liquid and solid dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cells, photo induced water splitting, dye synthesized solar cells, environmental purifications, gas sensors, display devices, batteries, as well as, solar cells with an organic or inorganic extremely thin absorber. These thin films are also of interest for the photooxidation of water, photocatalysis, electro chromic devices and other uses.