Structural and Surface Morphological Studies of Magnesium Tin Oxide Thin Films

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have been well known in the form of undoped single cation oxides such as SnO2 and In2O3. These are degenerate semiconductors which are simultaneously transparent and highly conductive, useful in many optical and electrical device developments. Starting from 1990 s, however, multication TCOs began to develop. Since then new TCOs are being reported with increasing frequency as their technological interest and importance increased in various fields of technological development. In this paper, we have attempted to use magnesium tin oxide as new TCO which possess more than 80% of transmittance for a 320 nm film. The precursor of magnesium tin alloy was prepared through a new way called “protective flux route” method. Magnesium tin oxide thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation technique. The coated film was then annealed to get oxide layer and hence magnesium tin oxide thin films. Their structural analysis, optical studies, electrical properties and surface morphology were studied using XRD, UV-Vis-NIR, linear four probe resistivity and SEM, respectively.