Physical properties of electrically conductive Sb-doped SnO2 transparent electrodes by thermal annealing dependent structural changes for photovoltaic applications

We have investigated the optical and electrical characteristics of antimony (Sb)-doped tin oxide (SnO2) films with modified structures by thermal annealing as a transparent conductive electrode. The structural properties were analyzed from the relative void % by spectroscopic ellipsometry as well as the scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction patterns. As the annealing temperature was raised, Sb-doped SnO2 films exhibited a slightly enhanced crystallinity with the increase of the grain size from 17.1 nm at 500 °C to 34.3 nm at 700 °C. Furthermore, the refractive index and extinction coefficient gradually decreased due to the increase in the relative void % within the film during the annealing. The resistivity decreased to 8.2 × 10−3 Ω cm at 500 °C, but it increased rapidly at 700 °C. After thermal annealing, the optical transmittance was significantly increased. For photovoltaic applications, the photonic flux density and the figure of merit over the entire solar spectrum were obtained, indicating the highest values of 5.4 × 1014 cm−2 s−1 nm−1 at 1.85 eV after annealing at 700 °C and 340.1 μA cm−2 Ω−1 at 500 °C, respectively.

• The physical properties of sputtered Sb-doped SnO2 after annealing were studied.
• The figure of merit was estimated from the integral PFD and sheet resistance.
• The characteristics of Sb-doped SnO2 films were optimized by the figure of merit.
• An optimized Sb-doped SnO2 layer is promising for high efficiency photovoltaic cells.