Characterization of Spin Coated Tin Oxide Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications

Authors M. Maache1,2, A. Chala2,3, T. Devers4
Affiliations

1Department of Physics, Ziane ACHOUR University, 17000 Djelfa, Algeria

2PLTFA, Physical Laboratory of Thin Films and Applications, Mohamed Khider University, 07000 Biskra, Algeria

3Department of Science of matter, Mohamed Khider University, 07000 Biskra, Algeria

4University of Orleans, ICMN-UMR 7374 CNRS, IUT of Chartres, 28000 Chartres, France

Е-mail moumos2001@gmail.com
Issue Volume 12, Year 2020, Number 3
Dates Received 25 May 2019; revised manuscript received 15 June 2020; published online 25 June 2020
Citation M. Maache, A. Chala, T. Devers, J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 12 No 3, 03010 (2020)
DOI https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.12(3).03010
PACS Number(s) 68.00.00
Keywords SnO2 (11) , Sol-gel (17) , Spin coating (5) , Conductivity (43) , Optoelectronic (5) .
Annotation

Sol-gel technique was operated to obtain pure tin oxide (SnO2) thin films. The films were grown at room temperature on clean glass substrates by a spin coating method. Tin (II) chloride dehydrate was used as a starting material, and 2-propanol was used as the solvent. Tin molarity was kept [Sn2+]  0.3 M. The SEM micrographs of the elaborated films show that they are composed of very fine-grained microstructure of SnO2. XRD analysis reveals that all annealed films consist of single phase SnO2, the diffractograms indicate the presence of (100), (101), (211) peaks corresponding to the tetragonal phase without any secondary phases. The scanning electron microscopy and the atomic force microscopy images show the evolution of the different surface morphologies; all films have homogeneous and uniform surface morphology. The transmission electron microscopy measurements confirm that the prepared films are nanocrystalline. Furthermore, the influence of multiple coating on the optoelectronic properties of SnO2 thin films is examined. In the visible region, the transmittance is greater than 85 %. The resistivity of SnO2 thin films decreases significantly with the thickness. The estimated maximum value of conductivity is 2.72 (Ω.cm) – 1.

List of References