Effect of doping level on physical properties of antimony doped nanocrystalline tin oxide films fabricated using low cost spray technique

Abstract

Antimony doped nanocrystalline tin oxide (SnO₂∶Sb) films have been fabricated using a low cost and simple fabrication technique using a perfume atomiser. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) films show that the films are polycrystalline with tetragonal cassiterite structure having (110) plane parallel to the surface of the substrate. The preferred orientation remains constant for all the doping levels (0·5–3·0 at-%) and the degree of preferred orientation increases with increasing doping concentration in the starting solution. The intensity of the (110) plane steadily increases as the doping concentration of antimony increases. The fine quality of AFM images show that the films have homogeneous and uniform surface. The sheet resistance is found to decrease with increasing antimony doping level, attain a minimum value (6·34 Ω sq⁻¹) when the doping concentration is 2·5 at-% and then increase for further doping.

Keywords:

• Solar cells
• Spray pyrolysis
• Tin oxide
• Structural properties
• Electrical properties
• EDS

The authors are grateful to the Secretary and Correspondent, Principal, Dean of sciences and Head, Department of Physics, AVVM Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, India, for their excellent encouragement and support. One of the authors, K. Ravichandran, gratefully acknowledges the financial support from the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST/S&T Projects/PS/AR/2009–2010).