Nitrogen doped p-type SnO thin films deposited via sputtering

p-Type SnO thin films were fabricated via reactive RF magnetron sputtering on borosilicate substrates with an Sn target and Ar/O2/N2 gas mixture. The undoped SnO thin film consisted of a polycrystalline SnO phase with a preferred (1 0 1) orientation; however, with nitrogen doping, the preferred orientation was suppressed and the grain size decreased. The electrical conductivity of the undoped SnO thin films demonstrated a relatively low p-type conductivity of 0.05 Ω−1 cm−1 and it was lowered slightly with nitrogen doping to 0.039 Ω−1 cm−1. The results of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested that the nitrogen doping created donor defects in the SnO thin films causing lower electrical conductivity. Lastly, both the undoped and doped SnO thin films had poor optical transmittance in the visible range.

► Nitrogen doped SnO thin film was fabricated by reactive sputtering. ► Nitrogen doping produced the defects like tin nitride, which acts as a donor. ► Nitrogen doping lowered the electrical conductivity of SnO. ► Nitrogen doping suppressed the crystallinity of undoped SnO and the grain size was decreased. ► Nitrogen doped SnO had poor optical transmittance in visible range.