Preparation and study of the titanium oxide thin films doped with Tb3+ and Ce3+ ions

In this study, we investigated the dependence of the thickness and refractive index of thin films on the withdrawal speed. The films were produced by dip-coating on a glass substrate. The hydrolytic (conventional) sol-gel method was used in the preparation of titanium alkoxide, which were obtained by homogenizing tetraethylorthotitanate stabilized by beta-diketone (2,4-pentanodione) in an alcohol solution. Potential applications, such as active planar waveguides, were evaluated by m-line spectroscopy, electron absorption spectra in the ultraviolet visible region, and photoluminescence. Based on the m-line measurements, the thickness of the films obtained from the homogenized sols were found to be dependent on the withdrawal speed. The thickness range from 400 to 500 nm to the films prepared by withdrawal speed 100 mm/min, 600 to 700nm using 200 mm/min, and 800 to 900 nm to withdrawal speed 300 mm/min. The refractive index is not affected by deposition speed. The photoluminescence of the Tb III ion exhibited lines that were attributed to the transitions characteristic of this ion, i.e., transitions from the 5D4 excited state to the 7F J (J=3,4,5,6) fundamental state