Structural, optical and electrical properties of indium tin oxide thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 56; no. 2; pp. 125 - 139
• Main Authors: Benamar, E., Rami, M., Messaoudi, C., Sayah, D., Ennaoui, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electric conductivity; Exact sciences and technology; Indian tin oxide; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Oxides; Physics; Pyrolysis; Semiconducting indium compounds; Semiconducting tin compounds; Spray coating techniques; Spray pyrolysis; Sprayed coatings; Surface structure; Transparency; Transparent coatings; Indian tin oxide; Transparent coatings; Spray pyrolysis; Atomic force microscopy; Electrical conductivity; Semiconductor materials; Spray coatings; XRD; Experimental study; Preferred orientation; Surface states; Characterization; Thin films; Tin oxides; Preparation; Indium oxides; Absorption spectra; Transparent material
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/S0927-0248(98)00151-2

Spray pyrolysis process has been used to deposit highly transparent and conducting films of tin-doped indium oxide onto glass substrates. The electrical, structural and optical properties have been investigated as a function of various deposition parameters namely dopant concentrations, temperature and nature of substrate. The morphology of the surface as a function of the substrate temperature has been studied using atomic force microscopy. XRD has shown that deposited films are polycrystalline without second phases and have a preferred orientation (4 0 0). Indium tin oxide layers with low resistivity values around 4×10 −5 Ω cm and transmission coefficients in the visible and near-infrared range of about 85–90% have been easily obtained.