Control of tin oxide film morphology by addition of hydrocarbons to the chemical vapour deposition process

In this paper we have shown that it is possible to modify and control the surface morphology of doped SnO2 transparent conducting oxide thin films deposited by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition by use of additives during the deposition process. A range of volatile organic compounds were explored, which caused changes of differing magnitude to the growth rates, crystallographic preferences, size and shape of the surface features and optical transmittance. Of the additives tested methanol and tertiary butanol were found to have the most significant influence allowing the surface to be modified from small, round features to much more elongated, sharp, pyramidal features.