Structural properties of TiO2 nanocrystallites condensed in vapor-phase for photocatalyst applications

We have synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystallites by pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in oxygen (O2) background gas for photocatalyst applications. Varying O2 background gas pressure \( \left( {P_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }} } \right) \) or substrate target distance (D TS), it was possible to change weight fraction of anatase phase in the anatase/rutile mixture from 0.2 to 1.0. Porosity of the deposited TiO2 films increased with increasing \( \left( {P_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }} } \right) \) and D TS. Relation between the process parameters and the formed crystal phases was explained from the point of cooling process in vapor-phase. Furthermore, rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was performed as post-annealing, suppressing sintering of the nanocrystallites. Photocatalytic activities of the TiO2 nanocrystallites depended on the RTA temperature and following crystallinity restoring as well as the crystal phase: anatase or rutile.