The electrical, optical, structural and thermoelectrical characterization of n- and p-type cobalt-doped SnO2 transparent semiconducting films prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

The electrical, optical and structural properties of Cobalt (Co) doped SnO2 transparent semiconducting thin films, deposited by the spray pyrolysis technique, have been studied. The SnO2:Co films, with different Co-content, were deposited on glass substrates using an aqueous–ethanol solution consisting of tin and cobalt chlorides. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the SnO2:Co films were polycrystalline only with tin oxide phases and preferential orientations along (1 1 0) and (2 1 1) planes and grain sizes in the range 19–82 nm. Optical transmittance spectra of the films showed high transparency ∼75–90% in the visible region, decreasing with increase in Co-doping. The optical absorption edge for undoped SnO2 films was found to be 3.76 eV, while for higher Co-doped films shifted toward higher energies (shorter wavelengths) in the range 3.76–4.04 eV and then slowly decreased again to 4.03 eV. A change in sign of the Hall voltage and Seebeck coefficient was observed for a specific acceptor dopant level ∼11.4 at% in film and interpreted as a conversion from n-type to p-type conductivity. The thermoelectric electro-motive force (e.m.f.) of the films was measured in the temperature range 300–500 K and Seebeck coefficients were found in the range from −62 to +499 μVK−1 for various Co-doped SnO2 films.