Synthesis and characterization of MgSnO prepared via a ball milling process

Abstract

Nanocrystalline powders of MgO–SnO2 (MgSnO) were experimentally obtained via a high-energy ball milling process with various operating time and annealing temperatures. The average crystallite size and lattice strain of the MgSnO powder decreased and increased, respectively, with increasing milling time. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the Mg2SnO4 phase formed after calcinations of the as-milled MgSnO powder at temperatures higher than 1000°C. The film annealed at 500°C exhibited a much higher transmittance (~92%) in the visible region than that of a previously reported, non-ball-milled Mg-doped SnO2. The surface morphology of MTO films is dependent on the annealing temperature. The fabricated MgSnO TFT operating in electron-accumulation mode can perform n-channel operations. In addition, the sub-threshold voltage swing value of the device is 0.29V/decade.