CuCl Microcrystallite-Doped SiO 2 Glass Thin Films Prepared by RF Sputtering

CuCl microcrystallites were successfully doped into SiO 2 glass thin films by means of the magnetron rf-sputtering technique. A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement showed that the microcrystallites had a spherical configuration. The average size of the microcrystallites was less than 5 nm and it was affected by the preparation condition and postdeposition annealing time. Optical absorption peaks corresponding to Z 3 and Z 1,2 exciton were observed. These absorption lines shifted to a higher-energy side with decreasing microcrystallite size. This phenomenon seems to relate to the quantum size effect.