Glancing Angle Deposition: Effective Way of Controlling Optical and Microstructural Properties of Thin Films*

 Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) can be used to engineer different microstructures in thin films, resulting in wide variation in optical and micro-structural properties. GLAD using a sputter target at an oblique angle relative to the substrate normal can be used to produce columnar films tilted relative to the substrate normal. GLAD CdTe films sputtered on soda lime glass at room temperature with different source flux angle shows well defined columnar structures while films produced at 250°C only show variations in grain orientation. The dependence of grain size, grain orientation, in-plane stress, and optical properties of CdTe films on source flux angle are identified. Optical and microstructural properties of GLAD ITO and ZnO thin films deposited on soda lime glass at various source flux angles are also studied using SEM, XRD and spectroscopic ellipsometry.