Structural, electrical, and optical properties of Sb-doped SnO2 transparent conductive oxides fabricated using an electrospray technique

Abstract

Sb-doped SnO2 (ATO) thin films, for use as transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), were synthesized using an electrospray technique, and their structural, electrical, and optical properties were investigated. To elucidate the optimum fabrication conditions for the best electrical and optical properties, ATO thin films were calcined using four different temperatures, 450°C, 550°C, 650°C, and 750°C. When calcined at 650°C, ATO thin films exhibit excellent resistivity (~8.14×10−3Ωcm), superior transmittance (~91.4% at 550nm), and good figure of merit (~11.4×10−4Ω−1) compared to the other samples. The enhanced properties of ATO thin films are attributed to high densification without formation of cracks, and the increased grain size of ATO nanoparticles.