Impact of spray flux density and vacuum annealing on the transparent conducting properties of doubly doped (Sn plus F) zinc oxide films deposited using a simplified spray technique

Ravichandran, K and Mohan, R and Begum, Jabena N and Snega, S and Swaminathan, K and Ravidhas, C and Sakthivel, B and Varadharajaperumal, S (2014) Impact of spray flux density and vacuum annealing on the transparent conducting properties of doubly doped (Sn plus F) zinc oxide films deposited using a simplified spray technique. In: VACUUM, 107 (SI). pp. 68-76.

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Abstract

In this investigation transparent conducting properties of as-deposited and annealed ZnO:Sn:F films deposited using different spray flux density by changing the solvent volume (10 mL, 20 mL ... 50 mL) of the starting solutions have been studied and reported. The structural analyses of the films indicate that all the films have hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO with preferential orientation along (002) plane irrespective of the solvent volume and annealing treatment whereas, the overall crystalline quality of the films is found to be enhanced with the increase in solvent volume as well as with annealing. This observed enhancement is strongly supported by the optical and surface morphological results. From the measurements of electrical parameters, it is seen that, the annealed films exhibit better electrical properties compared to the as-deposited ones. Annealing has caused agglomeration of grains as confirmed by the surface morphological studies. Also, the annealing process has led to an improvement in the optical transparency as well as band gap. It is found from the analyses of the characteristics of the as- deposited and annealed films that the annealed film deposited from starting solution having solvent volume of 50 mL is optimal in all respects, as it possesses all the desirable characteristics including the quality factor (1.60 x 10(-4) (Omega/sq.)(-1)). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	VACUUM
Publisher:	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Additional Information:	copyright for this article belongs to PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD, THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND
Keywords:	Thin films; Spray flux density; Impurities in semiconductors; Vacuum annealing; X-ray diffraction; Zinc oxide
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2014 11:11
Last Modified:	19 Aug 2014 11:11
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/49616

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