Glancing Angle Deposition Effect on Structure and Light-Induced Wettability of RF-Sputtered TiO₂ Thin Films.

Crystalline TiO₂ films were prepared on unheated glass substrates by radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering at normal angle of incidence ( = 0°) and at glancing angle ( = 87°). The effect of the glancing angle on the structure, microstructure, and wetting properties of the films was investigated. The inclination of the substrate led to phase transformation of the deposited films from rutile to either rutile/anatase or anatase, depending on the working pressure.