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Bi-doped SnO2 transparent conducting thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis: structural, electrical, optical, and photo-thermoelectric properties

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In this research, light and heavy Bi-doped SnO2 thin films were prepared on glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique. The effect of heavy doped-Bi on the structural, morphological, electrical, photo-thermo-electrical, optical properties of SnO2 thin films has been investigated. The Bi/Sn atomic ratios (x = [Bi/Sn]) were varied from 0 to 0.30 in the spray solution. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the formation of SnO2 tetragonal rutile structure in low doped deposited thin films and amorphous structure for heavy Bi-doped SnO2. Also, the SnO2–Bi2O3 binary thin films were formed for x = [Bi/Sn] = 0.05. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the nanostructure of the condensed thin films has a rectangular-particle growth toward particle-spherical growth. The Hall effect measurements have shown n-type conductivity in all deposited thin films. The lowest sheet resistance of 39.3 MΩ/□ and highest carrier concentration of n = 4.53 × 1018 cm−3 was obtained for the thin film deposited with x = 0.10. The maximum of the Seebeck coefficient (S) = 325 μVK−1 and figure of merit (ZT) = 1.85 was obtained for the thin film deposited with x = 0.20. The average transmittance of thin films varied over the range of T = 72–84%. The bandgap values of samples were obtained in the range of Eg = 3.52–3.88 eV for the direct band gap. From the photoconductivity studies, the sample prepared with x = 0.20 exhibited the highest photoconductivity among the SnO2: Bi thin films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran

    N. Khademi & M. M. Bagheri-Mohagheghi

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Khatam Ol-Anbia (PBU) University, Tehran, Iran

    A. Shirpay

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  1. N. Khademi
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Khademi, N., Bagheri-Mohagheghi, M.M. & Shirpay, A. Bi-doped SnO2 transparent conducting thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis: structural, electrical, optical, and photo-thermoelectric properties. Opt Quant Electron 54, 130 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-022-03515-z

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