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Structural/microstructural, optical and electrical investigations of Sb-SnO2 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

The structural, optical and electrical properties of spray deposited antimony (Sb) doped tin oxide (SnO2) thin films, prepared from SnCl4 precursor, have been studied as a function of antimony doping concentration. The doping concentration was varied from 0 to 1.5 wt.% of Sb. The analysis of x-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the as deposited doped and undoped tin oxide thin films are pure crystalline tetragonal rutile phase of tin oxide which belongs to the space group P42/mnm (number 136). The surface morphological examination with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed the fact that the grains are closely packed and pores/voids between the grains are very few. The transmittance spectra for as-deposited films were recorded in the wavelength range of 200 to 1000 nm. The transmittance of the films was observed to increase from 57% to 68% (at 800 nm) on initial addition of Sb (up to [Sb]/[Sn] = 0.5 wt.%) and then it is decreased for higher level of antimony doping ([Sb]/[Sn] > 0.5 wt.%). The sheet resistance of tin oxide films was found to decrease from 48 Ω/sq for undoped films to 8 Ω/sq for antimony doped films.