Influence of vacuum and Ar/CdS atmospheres-rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the properties of Cd2SnO4 thin films obtained by sol-gel technique. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Franco-Linton, B.; Castanedo-Pérez, R.; Torres-Delgado, G.; Márquez-Marín, J.; Zelaya-Ángel, O.
• Is Part Of: Materials science in semiconductor processing. Volume 56(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: 302
• Page End: 306
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: RTA rapid thermal annealing -- TCO transparent conducting oxide -- CTO cadmium tin oxide -- Ta annealing temperature -- CVA conventional vacuum annealing -- Ts sintering temperature -- tT treatment time -- XRD X-ray diffraction -- MDI Materials Data Incorporated -- UV–vis–NIR ultraviolet–visible–near infrared -- NA without annealing treatment -- CA conventional annealing; Cadmium tin oxide -- Thin films -- Sol-gel -- Rapid thermal annealing; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; Integrated circuits -- Materials -- Periodicals; Semiconducteurs -- Périodiques; Circuits intégrés -- Matériaux -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2016.09.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8001

Abstract

Abstract: Transparent conducting oxides are electrical conductive materials with low absorption of light. In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to ternary oxides such as CdIn2 O4, Zn2 SnO4, ZnGa2 O4, and Cd2 SnO4 . In present work, Cd2 SnO4 thin films were deposited via dip-coating; dipping solution was synthesized by sol-gel technique from the mixture of CdO and SnO2 precursor solutions. The films were obtained with 7 layers (~260 nm) on Corning glass substrates. Each coating was deposited at a withdrawal speed of 2 cm/min, dried at 100 °C for 1 h, and then sintered at 550 °C for 1 h in air. The films were subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatments at an annealing temperature of 600 °C for 5 s, under two different atmospheres: vacuum and Ar/CdS (varying Ar pressure inside the chamber from 50 to 200 Torr). X-Ray diffraction patterns showed that all the annealed films were constituted mainly by Cd2 SnO4 crystals with a very low presence of CdSnO3 . All the films showed a high optical transmittance (above 80%) in the UV–Vis region. A slight decrease of transmittance occurs in the near infrared region for RTA films, but it is not as pronounced as the one observed when these films are treated using conventional annealing. The minimum resistivity value obtained was 2.87×10 −3 Ω cm (1.1×10 2 Ω / □ ) corresponding to RTA films in vacuum. Electrical and optical properties of the films analyzed in present study make them attractive as electrodes for solar cells, with the advantage of requiring very short annealing times. Highlights: Cd2 SnO4 thin films obtained by sol-gel technique, starting from two metallic salts. Resistivity of 2.87×10 -3 Ωcm for Cd2 SnO4 films with RTA in vacuum at 600 °C. Cd2 SnO4 films with optical transmittance ~80% from 450 nm to 1500 nm. RTA Cd2 SnO4 films show higher NIR transmittance than conventionally annealed films.