Studying the influence of deposition temperature and nitrogen contents on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of N-doped SnO2 films prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering

Abstract

This report focuses on studying and investigating in detail the structural, electrical, and optical properties of p-type N-doped SnO2 (NTO) versus the deposition temperature and nitrogen content. P-type transparent conductive NTO films were deposited on quartz glass substrates using a direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering method. The substitution of oxygen by nitrogen in the SnO2 host lattice was verified using measurements such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The position of the N3− defect state in the band gap was determined using photoluminescence and ultra-violet-visible spectroscopy measurements. The data for the (110) to (101) rutile lattice planes changed, and the rutile (plane (101)) to cubic (plane (111)) SnO2 phase transition indicated the substitution of oxygen by nitrogen in the SnO2 host lattice. The best p-type conductive properties achieved were 8 × 10−2 Ω cm, 1.36 × 1019 cm−3, and 6.75 cm2 V−1 s−1 for the resistivity, hole concentration, and hole mobility, respectively, for film deposited at the optimum substrate temperature of 300 °C in a gas mixture of Ar and 50% N2.