Preparation of SnO2 thin films at low temperatures with H2 gas by the hot-wire CVD method

H2 additional effect for crystallization of SnO2 films prepared by the hot-wire CVD method was investigated. The crystallization of SnO2 films starts at 170 °C. The selectivity enhancement of the solar cell substrate will contribute to reduce the cost of silicon thin film solar cells. The atomic hydrogen assisted nano-crystallization exists for the depositions of SnO2 films by the hot-wire CVD method. Furthermore, the addition of H2 gas improved the electrical conductivity up to 5.3 × 100 S/cm. However, these effects are limited in the deposition condition of a small amount of hydrogen. Addition of much higher hydrogen concentration starts an etching effect of oxygen atoms.