Hardness and Elastic Modulus of Neodymium-doped TiO2 films

Abstract

In the present work the mechanical properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films doped with neodymium (Nd) were explored. TiO2Nd thin films were deposited by radiofrequency co-sputtering from a TiO2 and Nd targets. The chemistry was studied using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The mechanical properties were measured by nanoindentation. The results showed surprisingly that the incorporation of low concentration of Nd in an atomic ratio of 3.7% to Ti in the TiO2 matrix increase the hardness and elastic modulus of materials