Microstructure and grain growth kinetics of nanocrystalline SnO2 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

► SnO2 thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition techniques. ► The isothermal grain growth of SnO2 thin films was investigated in detail. ► Grain growth data were analyzed using two different models. ► The structure relaxation model could describe the evolutions of grain growth. ► The structure relaxation model made reasonable attribution of low-activation energy.