A comparative study of heat treatment temperature influence on the thickness of zirconia sol–gel thin films by three different techniques: SWE, SEM and AFM

摘要: Abstract A clear ethanol based precursor sol obtained using zirconium acetate hydroxide was utilized for the deposition of nanometer ZrO 2 thin films on 316L stainless steel substrates by a sol–gel dip coating process. The influence heat treatment temperature structural evolution examined X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). results indicated that adopted production route led to formation an amorphous structure at 200–300 °C surface tetragonal (t-ZrO ) monoclinic (m-ZrO zirconia phases 700 °C 900 °C temperatures, respectively. Microstructural studies scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed morphology size particles depend upon temperature. effect firing thickness studied three different techniques: single-wavelength ellipsometry (SWE), SEM atomic force (AFM). film measured SWE techniques, as function temperature, in close agreement, elucidating major decrease when heated up 700 °C, slight increase between 700 900 °C. As determined AFM studies, changes were similar those during former step, but it appeared be constant later interval. profile images roughness with rising