Influence of the rate of flow of argon on the optical properties of the MnSmO₃ films prepared by magnetron sputtering technique

MnSmO₃ thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method with pure argon flow rate (20, 30, 45, 50, and 60 sccm). The crystalline and morphological structures of MnSmO₃ thin films were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealing amorphous nature. Optical properties MnSmO₃ thin films showed direct transition and normal dispersion of the refractive index at all rate of flow. The optical energy gap decreased with increasing the rate of flow, whereas the plasma behaved contrary to that of the optical gap. The dispersion energies deduced from Drude models are found to be larger than that of the single-oscillator energies. Non-linear refractive index is found to decrease with increasing the rate of flow. The linear and non-linear optical susceptibilities showed a tendency of decreasing with increasing the rate of flow.