Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) top-covered Mg-Ni switchable mirror thin films

Abstract

Pd capped Mg-Ni thin films were prepared on glass substrates by DC magnetron sputtering for a switchable mirror. In order to improve the switching durability, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin film was deposited on it as a protection layer by rf magnetron sputtering. Sputtering of PFTE film was carried out at power of 30 W in the Ar and CF4 mixed gas discharge plasma. The characterizations of PFTE thin films were performed with Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). PTFE films with 900 nm thick deposited on glass substrates have transmittance of 90%. PFTE thin film shows the excellent protection role against the oxidization of Mg and gives the 1000 switching cycles by 4vol% hydrogen. © 2008 The Japan Institute of Metals.