Synthesis-structure relations for reactive magnetron sputtered V2O5 films

V₂O₅ films were grown onto MgO (100) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering between 26 °C to 300 °C to establish a detailed synthesis-structure relation. The effect of deposition temperature on structural characteristics and surface morphology was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Films prepared at room temperature are amorphous while those deposited above 80 °C exhibit a polycrystalline structure with the orthorhombic symmetry of the V₂O₅ phase.