Performance of SnO2 Thin Film Prepared by CWD Technique on Different Substrates for Device Applications: An Innovative Approach

Abstract

Several thin film deposition techniques for oxide semiconducting materials have been developed. In this study, we employed an innovative technique known as chemical wet and dry (CWD) technique to deposit undoped SnO2 thin films on soda lime glass (SLG) and quartz substrates. This approach is an upgraded variant of the dip-coating process, involving controlled substrate withdrawal and in situ annealing in an inert gas atmosphere, ensuring uniform thickness control and contamination-free coating. The presence of a well-made undoped SnO2 thin film on SLG and quartz substrates was confirmed using grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The films exhibit a mixed state of crystalline and amorphous nature, characterized by the presence of broad, strong peaks, suggesting Debye-Scherrer broadening. Furthermore, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) examinations showed an even distribution of particles on the film's surface, with particle sizes measuring between 10.58 nm and 9.17 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was utilized to detect functional groups within the film. This determination was substantiated by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) analysis, confirming the film's composition. Optical investigations revealed that the films deposited on both SLG and quartz substrates possess remarkable transparency, exceeding 70% in the visible spectrum. The bandgap values range from 3.05 eV to 3.02 eV for SnO2 thin films deposited on SLG and quartz substrates, respectively. The variations in Hall mobilities, attributed to the impact of grain size, have been recognized, confirming the material's n-type characteristics as confirmed by Hall effect assessments. These prepared samples show promising prospects for use in forthcoming transparent conductive and optoelectronic devices, based on the aforementioned data and discoveries. [GRAPHICS] .