Preparation of Sb: SnO2 thin films and their effect on optoelectrical properties

• Main Authors: Derrar, Khaoula, Zaabat, Mourad, Rouabah, Nouhad, Nazir, Roshan, Hanini, Faouzi, Hafdallah, Abdelkader, Khan, Sher Afghan, Alsaiari, Norah Salem, Katubi, Khadijah Mohammedsaleh, Abualnaja, Khamael M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Nature 2022
• Subjects: TK7800 Electronics. Computer engineering. Computer hardware. Photoelectronic devices
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/97244/7/97244_Preparation%20of%20Sb%20SnO2%20thin%20films.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/97244/; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10854-022-08004-3; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-08004-3

The present study focuses on pure and antimony (Sb)-doped tin oxide thin film and its influence on their structural, optical, and electrical properties. Both undoped and Sb-doped SnO2 thin films have been grown by using a simple, inexpensive pyrolysis spray technique. The deposition temperature was optimized to 450 �C. X-ray diffractions pattern have revealed that the films are polycrystalline and have a tetragonal rutile-type crystal structure. Undoped SnO2 films grow along (110) preferred orientation, while the Sb-doped SnO2 films grow along (200) direction. The size of Sb-doped tin oxide crystals changes from 26.3 to 58.0 nm when dopant concentration is changed from 5 to 25 wt.%. The transmission spectra revealed that all the samples are transparent in the visible region, and the optical bandgap varies between 3.92 and 3.98 eV. SEM analysis shows that the surface morphology and grain size are affected by the doping rate. All the films exhibit a high transmittance in the visible region and show a sharp fundamental absorption edge at about 0.38–0.40 nm. The maximum electrical conductivity of 362.5 S/cm was obtained for the film doped with 5 wt. % Sb. However, the carrier concentration is increased from 0.708 9 1018 to 4.058 9 1020 cm3. The electrical study reveals that the films have n-type electrical conductivity and depend on Sb concentration. We observed a decrease in sheet resistance and resistivity with the increase in Sb dopant concentration. For the dopant concentration of 5 wt.% of Sb in SnO2, the Rs and q were found minimum with the values of 88.55 (X cm-2) and 2.75 (X cm), respectively. We observed an increase in carrier concentration and a decrease in mobility with the addition of Sb up to 25 wt.%. The highest figure of merit values 2.5 9 10–3 X-1 is obtained for the 5wt% Sb, which may be considered potential materials for solar cells’ transparent windows.