Tunable Structural, Optical And Electrical Properties Of Annealed ZnO-SnO2 Composite Thin Films deposited By Pulsed Laser Deposition

Department of Metallurgical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Raipur 492010, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2016, 7 (4), pp 319-324

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2016.6155

Publication Date (Web): Mar 07, 2016

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: sksinha.met@nitrr.ac.in

Abstract

We report the thermal annealing effect of ZnO-SnO₂ composite thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition on its structural, electrical, and optical properties. The results present a consistent portrayal of the evolution of ZnO-SnO₂ composite oxide films phase formation in post-annealed condition and its subsequent effect on various physical properties. X-ray diffraction confirms that the films transform from nearly amorphous to fully crystalline state on thermal annealing at 600 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a small shift in Sn-3d peak towards lower energy and O-1s and Zn-2p peaks towards higher binding energy with increasing ZnO concentration and confirms the formation of combined oxides of ZnO and SnO₂. The average optical transmission is greater than 80 % in the visible region of the annealed ZnO-SnO₂ composite films. The lowest electrical resistivity of 9.8 × 10^-4 Ωcm has been obtained in the film containing 25 wt % ZnO. Our results suggest that annealed ZnO-SnO₂ composite films with improved electrical and optical properties could find potential use in thin film solar cells or touch pad control panels. 

Keywords

X-ray diffraction, crystalline, electrical, transmission, pulsed laser deposition, photoelectron spectroscopy.