Method of generating high purity bismuth oxide

Abstract

A method for forming and protecting high quality bismuth oxide films comprises depositing a transparent thin film on a substrate comprising one of Si, alkali metals, or alkaline earth metals. The transparent thin film is stable at room temperature and at higher temperatures and serves as a diffusion barrier for the diffusion of impurities from the substrate into the bismuth oxide. Reactive sputtering, sputtering from a compound target, or reactive evaporation are used to deposit a bismuth oxide film above the diffusion barrier.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A device structure comprising:
 a transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass, and wherein the substrate comprises at least one of Si or alkali metals, or alkaline earth metals;   a first layer, wherein the first layer is transparent and wherein the first layer is operable as a diffusion barrier, and wherein the first layer is one of a transparent conductive oxide material or a dielectric material; and   a bismuth oxide layer.   
     
     
         2 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the first layer is at least one of SnO 2 , Al-doped tin oxide (Al:SnOx), Mg-doped tin oxide (Mg:SnOx) SnZnO 4 , tin-doped aluminum oxide (Sn:AlOx), tin-doped magnesium oxide (Sn:MgOx), indium tin oxide (ITO), TiO x , SiTiO x , or Si x N y . 
     
     
         3 . The device structure of  claim 2  wherein the first layer is TiO x . 
     
     
         4 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the first layer has a thickness between about 0.5 nm and about 100 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The device structure of  claim 4  wherein the first layer has a thickness between about 3 nm and about 15 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The device structure of  claim 5  wherein the thickness of the first layer is about 10 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the bismuth oxide layer has a thickness between about 10 nm and about 1000 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the bismuth oxide layer has a thickness of about 100 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the bismuth oxide layer has a thickness between about 10 nm and about 1000 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the bismuth oxide layer has a thickness of about 100 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The device structure of  claim 1  wherein the device structure is subjected to an anneal treatment is performed at a temperature of about 650 C. 
     
     
         12 . The device structure of  claim 11  wherein the anneal treatment is performed for about 8 minutes. 
     
     
         13 . The device structure of  claim 11  wherein the anneal treatment is performed in an atmosphere comprising air.