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Effects of tin valence on microstructure, optical, and electrical properties of ITO thin films prepared by sol–gel method

Mirzaee, M ; Sharif University of Technology | 2015

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1007/s10971-015-3729-x
  3. Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers , 2015
  4. Abstract:
  5. Abstract: This study aimed to understand the microstructural, optical, and electrical properties of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) prepared with tetravalent and divalent tin salts. The influence of tin valence on the electrical, optical, structural, and morphological properties of the films were characterized by the mean of four-point probe, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis (DTA), UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope. XRD results revealed formation of cubic bixbyite structure of In2O3 with a small shift in major peak position toward lower angles with addition of Sn2+ and Sn4+. TG–DTA showed that the optimum heat treatment temperatures for thin films prepared with divalent and tetravalent tin salts are 500 and 450 °C, respectively. FESEM showed that with decreasing tin valence, grain size was gradually increased. The surface coverage for both thin films is similar, without any remarkable cracks. By increasing the tin valence from II to IV, high transparency (88.5 % in the visible region) and low conductivity (10 kΩ/sq.) can be obtained after calcination in air at 450 °C, which can be considered acceptable for electrostatic and antistatic applications of ITO thin films. The Haacke figures of merit at λ = 550 nm are comprised of between 2.94 × 10−5 Ω−1 and 1.83 × 10−5 Ω−1 for ITO prepared from tetravalent and divalent tin salt, respectively. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
  6. Keywords:
  7. Sol–gel dip coating ; Tin valence ; Field emission microscopes ; Film preparation ; Indium ; Optical emission spectroscopy ; Salts ; Scanning electron microscopy ; Sols ; Thermoanalysis ; Thermogravimetric analysis ; Thin films ; Tin ; X ray diffraction ; Differential thermal analyses (DTA) ; Dip coating ; Field emission scanning electron microscopy ; Heat treatment temperature ; Indium tin oxide ; Morphological properties ; Optoelectronic properties ; X-ray photoelectron spectroscope ; Tin oxides
  8. Source: Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology ; Volume 75, Issue 3 , September , 2015 , Pages 582-592 ; 09280707 (ISSN)
  9. URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10971-015-3729-x