Nd3+ Doping effect on the optical and electrical properties of SnO2 thin films prepared by nebulizer spray pyrolysis for opto-electronic application

Journal Article · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2018.01.050· OSTI ID:22803983

Kathalingam, A. ^[1]; Jeyadheepan, K. ^[2]

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1. Millimeter-Wave Innovation Technology Research Center (MINT), Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 04620 (Korea, Republic of)
2. ASK-2107, Multi-functional Materials & Devices Lab, School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401 (India)

Highlights: • High quality, Nd:SnO{sub 2} thin films prepared using simple nebulizer spray pyrolysis technique. • Characterizations of the films confirmed good crystallinity and smooth surface morphology. • High optical transparency with low electrical resistivity in nebulizer spray pyrolysis prepared Nd: SnO{sub 2} thin films is presented. - Abstract: Neodymium doped tin oxide (Nd: SnO{sub 2}) thin films were deposited on heated glass substrates with different Nd concentrations (0, 2, 4 and 6 %) by nebulizer spray pyrolysis method. Effects of Nd doping on structural, optical and electrical properties of the prepared films were investigated. X-ray diffraction study confirmed that all the deposited Nd: SnO{sub 2} films are in polycrystalline tetragonal structure with (211) preferential orientation. FESEM images showed that the prepared SnO{sub 2} particles are in nano-size in spherical shape, completely covering the substrate. AFM topology showed smooth deposition of the films with minimum surface roughness. The films showed maximum optical transmittance 90 % in the visible region with a band gap value 3.67 eV, also showed low refractive index and extinction coefficients. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum exhibited a strong UV emission peak at 356 nm for all the films. All the Nd: SnO{sub 2} films displayed n-type conductivity with low electrical resistivity 5.88 × 10{sup −4} (Ω cm) for 4 % Nd doping. As the films showed good figure of merit (ϕ) values, these Nd doped SnO{sub 2} thin films can perform better role in optoelectronic device.

• OSTI ID: 22803983
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 101; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
DEPOSITION
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
GLASS
NEODYMIUM
OPACITY
OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
POLYCRYSTALS
PYROLYSIS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
ROUGHNESS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
THIN FILMS
TIN OXIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION