Structural and morphological properties of SnO2:Sb:F thin films produced by spray pyrolysis technique at various substrate temperatures

Abstract

Doubly (antimony and fluorine) doped tin oxide (SnO2:Sb:F/AFTO) thin films with low solution concentration and low Sb doping were deposited on the glass by using spray pyrolysis technique at different substrate temperatures. The effect of substrate temperature on properties of the prepared films was investigated. It was seen from X-ray diffraction analysis that the thin films are rutile structure with polycrystalline and orientations along (101), (200) and (210) directions for all substrate temperature. SEM and AFM images indicated that thin films were affected by substrate temperature and the surface of films was homogeneous and to be made of nanocrystalline. The films have 83% average transmittance values and Eg values are between 3.10-3.89 eV. These Eg and transmittance values changed continuously with substrate temperatures. Hence, it was concluded that properties of thin films were affected by the substrate temperature and these result mostly compatible with the results obtained from literature.