Tungsten(III) oxide (W₂O₃) is a compound of

tungsten Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isol ...

and

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements ...

. It has been reported (2006) as being grown as a thin film by

atomic layer deposition Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a thin-film deposition technique based on the sequential use of a gas-phase chemical process; it is a subclass of chemical vapour deposition. The majority of ALD reactions use two chemicals called precursors (a ...

at temperatures between 140 and 240 °C using W₂(N(CH₃)₂)₆ as a precursor. It is not referred to in major textbooks. Some older literature refers to the compound W₂O₃ but as the atomic weight of tungsten was believed at the time to be 92, i.e., approximately half the modern accepted value of 183.84, the compound actually being referred to was WO₃. Reports about the compound date back to at least the 1970s, but only in as thin films or surfaces – no bulk synthesis of the material is known.

Usage

Tungsten(III) oxide is used in various types of infrared absorbing coatings and foils.Willey, R.R. (2002), Practical Design and Production of Optical Thin Films. Available from: http://www.crcnetbase.com/isbn/9780203910467 CRC Press. Section:5.3.1.29 Accessed: 17-07-2014

References

Tungsten compounds Sesquioxides Transition metal oxides {{inorganic-compound-stub