AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Thin Films Monday Sessions
       Session TF-MoP

Paper TF-MoP28
Sputtering of Y3Al5O12:Cr Thin Films for Temperature Sensor Applications

Monday, October 31, 2005, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Aspects of Thin Films Poster Session
Presenter: Y. Deng, University of Tennessee
Authors: Y. Deng, University of Tennessee
P.D. Rack, University of Tennessee
Correspondent: Click to Email
Phosphor materials can be used as a temperature sensor by monitoring the phosphor decay time. Chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12:Cr, or YAG:Cr) powders have been used in phosphor thermometry as its decay time has been well calibrated from room temperature to 600 Celsius. While powder paints are useful in some applications, these paints can flake and peel under some harsher environments. To ameliorate this problem, we are exploring the properties of YAG:Cr thin films. In this work, YAG:Cr thin films were sputter deposited in a combinatorial fashion to rapidly determine the optimum chromium concentration. The photoluminescence (PL) properties were correlated to the chromium concentration and an optimum concentration of 0.7 atomic percent was determined. Subsequently, a design of experiments was conducted to study the effects that the substrate temperature, substrate bias, and oxygen flow rate have on the YAG:Cr thin film PL and crystallinity. An optimum sputtering condition was found. Finally, temperature dependent PL intensity was measured as a function of temperature to understand the thermal quenching phenomenon.