Preparation of Thin Films Using a Sol-Gel Method

The different steps of thin film preparation by a sol-gel process are discussed: preparation of the starting solutions, control of the viscosity of the sol, deposition methods and thermal treatments. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Waveguide Raman Spectroscopy (WRS) are used to obtain structural characterization of the layers. The option of matrix doping is cited. Some optical properties of thin films using waveguide techniques and non-linear properties are underlined.