Investigations of structural, optical and transport property of Sb-doped SnO2 compounds for optoelectronics application

Abstract

Recently extensive research into the potential uses of oxide materials doped with non-magnetic elements in optoelectronic and spintronic devices has been carried out. In this work, the structural, optical and transport property of the Sn1−xSbxO2 (x = 0–0.10) compounds were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis photo-spectrometer and Hall-effect measurements. For preparation of the samples, the solid-state reaction technique was utilized. Based on the measurement and analysis of the XRD data, it was revealed that these prepared materials were crystallized in a single tetragonal rutile phase of SnO2. Moreover, the XRD data indicated that the solubility limit of Sb was only upto 8 % and thereafter secondary phase of Sb2O3 starts to appear. Using the equation developed by Debye and Scherrer, it was discovered that these samples had an average crystallite size that fell somewhere in the range of 32–36 nm. The microstructural investigation using a scanning electron microscope show a nano meter range sphere-shaped morphology. The rutile phase of SnO2 has been reconfirmed by Raman spectroscopy, and it further shows that there is no lattice disorder upon inclusion of Sb into the SnO2 lattice. An analysis of the optical property by means of a UV–vis Photo-spectrometer indicates that the value of optical band gap reduces as the amount of Sb doping in the material increases. Whereas, the optical transmittance value was found to decrease. The Hall effect measurement indicate the p-type behaviour of these samples and the carrier concentration of holes rises with Sb doping concentration.