| Summary: | Scandium oxide (Sc<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) thin films with different numbers of oxygen defects were prepared by ion-beam sputtering under different oxygen flow rates. The results showed that the oxygen defects heavily affected crystal phases, optical properties, laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) and surface quality of Sc<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> films. The thin film under 0 standard-state cubic centimeter per minute (sccm) oxygen flow rate had the largest number of oxygen defects, which resulted in the lowest transmittance, LIDT and the worst surface quality. In addition, the refractive index of 0 sccm Sc<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> film could not be measured in the same way. When the oxygen flow rate was 15 sccm, the Sc<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> film possessed the best transmittance, refractive index, LIDT and surface roughness due to the lowest number of oxygen defects. This work elucidated the relationship between oxygen defects and properties of Sc<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> films. Controlling oxygen flow rate was an important step of limiting the number of oxygen defects, which is of great significance for industrial production.
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