K. Choglay1, J. Buckett2, J. Ridealgh1, J. Kulczyk-Malecka1, P. Kelly1 1Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
2Pilkington Technology Management Limited, Ormskirk United Kingdom
Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) films have gained significant attention due to their excellent optical transparency, electrical conductivity and chemical stability making them suitable for applications in optoelectronic devices, solar cells, and transparent conductive electrodes.
In this work, ATO thin films were deposited using reactive magnetron co-sputtering, where Sn and Sb targets were sputtered in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The influence of varying Sb doping concentrations on the structural, compositional and optical properties of the films was systematically investigated. Plasma gas speciation during deposition was monitored in real-time to analyse the reactive sputtering environment and its impact on the film. Additionally, the samples were post-deposition heat treated at 650oC for 5 mins and then analysed to determine any changes in optical and material properties.
The structural properties (phase and crystallinity) of the films were examined before and after heat treatment using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, optical characteristics, including transmittance and refractive index, were determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results provide insights into the influence of plasma characteristics and dopant incorporation on the resulting film microstructure and properties, contributing to the optimization of ATO films for transparent electronics and energy-efficient coatings.