Sol–gel synthesis and optical characterization of nano-crystalline ZnTiO3 thin films

Perovskite ZnTiO 3 thin films were prepared on glass, quartz and silicon substrates by sol–gel method using zinc acetate dihydrate and titanium isopropoxide as precursor materials and 2-methoxy ethanol as solvent. The optical transmittance of ZnTiO 3 film decreased with increase in annealing temperature whereas the optical reflectance increased with annealing temperature. Refractive index of the ZnTiO 3 films also increased with increasing annealing temperatures. The refractive indices of the films were estimated to be 1.845, 1.834, 1.850 and 2.059 after annealing at 200°C, 400°C, 600°C and 800°C respectively. The ZnTiO 3 film exhibited crystalline phase at an annealing temperature of 800°C. The optical properties of the films were also studied by microwave heating at different powers, while the microstructure was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.