Improving Properties of Tungsten Oxide Films by Gamma Ray Irradiation

Abstract

     The deposition process and investigation of the physical properties of tungsten trioxide (WO₃) thin films before and after gamma irradiation are presented in this paper. The WO₃ thin films were deposited, using the pulse laser deposition technique, on glass substrates at laser energies of 600mJ and 800mJ. After deposition, the samples were gamma irradiated with Co⁶⁰. The structural and optical properties of polycrystalline WO₃ thin films are presented and discussed before and after 5kGy gamma irradiation at the two laser energies. X-ray diffraction spectra revealed that all the films consisted of WO₃ crystallized in the triclinic form; the dislocation density and lattice strain increased with the absorbed dosage of gamma irradiation. The optical constants, the average diameter and the surface roughness of the WO₃ films were calculated before and after gamma irradiation and for the two laser energies. It was found that the WO₃ thin films conductivity increased by γ-irradiated and with the increase of the laser energy.