Electrical characteristics of tin oxide films grown by thermal atomic layer deposition

Abstract

Tin dioxide (SnO2) is an n-type semiconductor and has useful characteristics of high transmittance, excellent electrical properties, and chemical stability. Accordingly, it is widely used in a variety of fields, such as a gas sensor, photocatalyst, optoelectronics, and solar cell. In this study, SnO2 films are deposited by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 180°C using Tetrakis(dimethylamino) tin and water. A couple of 5.9, 7.4 and 10.1nm-thick SnO2 films are grown on SiO2/Si substrate and then each film is annealed at 400°C in oxygen atmosphere. Current transport of SnO2 films are analyzed by measuring current – voltage characteristics from room temperature to 150°C. It is concluded that electrical property of SnO2 film is concurrently affected by its semiconducting nature and oxidative adsorption on the surface.