Aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition of sodium fluoride thin films

Abstract Thin films of sodium fluoride were created by the use of aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition between 200 and 600 °C on glass substrates. The films were found to be crystalline and single-phase (NaF) using X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays gave coherent elemental compositions indicating that monophasic NaF was made with negligible impurity levels. The films appeared hazy and showed little optical transmission (5–10%) and reflectance (∼2%).