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We have prepared and studied seventeen thin films ranging in composition from pure silver to pure magnesium fluoride. Using mass thicknesses based on quartz crystal oscillators and physical thicknesses obtained from a stylus profilometer, we have measured the void volume fraction of the films as a function of their composition. We have shown the Ag-MgF(2) system to be capable of incorporating a high volume fraction of voids. We report on the results of electron microscope studies of the films, which show the dependence of film microstructure on composition, thickness, and the nature of its substrate.

We discuss the optical properties of Ag-MgF(2) and voided silver cermets. We show that the former system is intrinsically three phase, because of the presence of voids, and that it cannot be regarded as made up of two synthesized phases. We show that the optical behavior of our voided silver cermets is not in keeping with the Maxwell-Garnett and effective media models, but that it can be used in a model-independent way to yield structural information about the cermets. We discuss the interesting optical properties of one cermet in the transition or optical crossover region. We also present data on the electrical resistivity of both types of cermet.