Exploring the Post-Annealing Influence on Stannous Oxide Thin Films via Chemical Bath Deposition Technique: Unveiling Structural, Optical, and Electrical Dynamics

Abstract

Stannous oxide (SnO2) thin films have garnered significant attention for their promising applications in various electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this study, we investigate the impact of post-annealing on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of stannous oxide thin films deposited using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The thin films were prepared on a Borosilicate glass substrate, followed by a controlled annealing process to enhance their performance. Structural analysis was conducted using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) to examine the cubic crystalline structure and the crystallite size increase induced by post-annealing. The results revealed alterations in grain size from the SEM and the purity of samples confirmed from EDX results. The optical properties of the Stannous oxide thin films were examined using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The optical absorption and bandgap characteristics were analyzed to understand how post-annealing influences the optical behavior of the thin films. Where the optical absorption was 320nm and the bandgap ranges were 3.86eV to 3.83eV. Furthermore, the electrical properties of the thin films were evaluated semiconducting nature, and conductivity increased with rising post-annealing. The findings from this study contribute to the understanding of the role of post-annealing in tailoring the properties of Stannous oxide thin films. The optimization of structural, optical, and electrical characteristics is crucial for their successful integration into electronic and optoelectronic devices.