Influence of synthesis parameters on morphology and phase composition of porous titania layers prepared via water based chemical solution deposition

In this work, thick nanocrystalline mesoporous titania layers are synthesized via chemical solution deposition using a water based citratoperoxo-Ti(IV)-precursor solution. The aqueous citratoperoxo-Ti(IV)-precursor solution is modified by the addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which acts as a thickener and pore forming agent. Layers are tape casted onto ITO-coated glass substrates and are thermally processed. The influence of process parameters like Ti(IV)-concentration, blade thickness, crystallization temperature and time on the film's phase composition, morphology and thickness are investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry. It is shown that the Ti(IV)-concentration and heat treatment influence the size and shape of the grains of which the films are composed, the film morphology (porosity, surface roughness) and the layer thickness, but no influence on the phase formation is observed. In all cases phase pure anatase layers are obtained.