Structural mosaicity and electrical properties of pyrolytic SnO2:F thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2013-03, Vol.531, p.172-178
• Main Authors: Garcés, F.A., Budini, N., Koropecki, R.R., Arce, R.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carrier density; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystallites; Deposition; Electrical measurement; Electrical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electrical resistivity; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects (including thermomagnetic effects); Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Mosaicity; Physics; Sol–Gel; Spray deposition; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Tin dioxide; Transparent conducting oxide; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.01.020

In this work we present structural and electrical properties of SnO2:F thin films deposited on glass substrate by the spray pyrolysis technique. The precursors of SnO2:F were synthesized by a sol–gel method, starting from a SnCl4·5H2O/ethanol mixture and using NH4F/H2O as a dopant. Different properties were observed depending on the deposition time of the films. The structural characteristics of the layers, like crystal size, preferential growth orientation and mosaicity, were studied by X-ray diffraction. These results were compared and correlated with those obtained from electrical measurements, such as carrier density, Hall mobility and resistivity. We have found that for longer deposition times, the mosaicity of the crystallites increases. This process is accompanied by a decrease in the resistivity. ► Tin oxide doped on glass substrate as thin film ► Mosaicity studies enable information about of crystalline domains. ► Increasing time deposition allows modification of resistivity and Hall mobility. ► Increasing the film thickness occur changes in crystalline texture.