Uhlig, H.H.UhligVogel, S.S.VogelKaiser, U.U.Kaiser2022-03-082022-03-081993https://publica.fraunhofer.de/handle/publica/302876The invention relates to a process for the production of thin films by depositing zirconium dioxide on a substrate, in particular for an optical interference coating system, whereby elementary zirconium is deposited in a vacuum in a vacuum chamber, permitting the ingress of a reactive gas into the vacuum chamber. The invention provides a solution to the problem for a process with which it is possible, without any additional measures such as preparation of the molten metal using oxygen, to produce thin films made of zirconium dioxide having a high refractive index and low absorption. The invention achieves this by using water vapour as the reactive gas and by working at a water vapour pressure of 0.005 to 0.01 Pa and at a vapour deposition rate of less than or equal to 0.7 nm s->-1. The substrate temperature is preferably 300<degrees>Celsius.de608620patent1992-4231779