Investigation of Combinatorial TiO2- MoO3 Mixed Layers to Optimize the Electrochromic Properties

Abstract

Electrochromic measurements have been performed to optimize the composition of reactive magnetron-sputtered mixed layers of Titanium oxide and Molybdenum oxide (TiO2-MoO3). Optical parameters and composition have been determined and mapped by using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with EnergyDispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) has been used to check the SE results as it was used in our earlier paper [N. T. Ismaeel et al, Materials 2023, 16(12), 4204] for (TiO2-SnO2). Ti and Mo targets were put separately from each other, and the Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) covered glass and Si-probes on a glass substrate (30 cm × 30 cm) were moved under the two separated targets (Ti and Mo) in a reactive Argon-Oxygen (Ar-O2) gas mixture. By using this combinatorial process, all the compositions (from 0 to 100%) were achieved in the same sputtering chamber after one sputtering process. The Coloration Efficiency (CE, the change of light transmission for the unit electric charge) of mixed metal oxides (TiO2- MoO3) that are deposited by reactive sputtering has been studied in an electrochemical cell. This paper aims to assess the results of investigations of such materials showing the enhanced electrochromic behavior compared to the pure materials