Growth of SiO2 and TiO2 thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering and PECVD by the incorporation of non-directional deposition fluxes

We have deposited TiO2 and SiO2 thin films by techniques as different as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and reactive magnetron sputtering under experimental conditions where highly directional deposition fluxes are avoided. The results indicate that whatever the deposition technique employed or even the precursor gas in the PECVD technique, films share common microstructural features:…