UV–violet photoluminescence emitted from SnO2:Sb thin films at different temperature

Antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO2:Sb) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by rf magnetron sputtering techniques. The obtained samples are polycrystalline films with rutile structure of pure SnO2 and have preferred orientation of (110) direction. A strong photoluminescence (PL) band is observed at room temperature from the obtained SnO2:Sb films. The PL spectrum consists of a strong UV–violet peak at 392 nm (about 3.16 eV), a shoulder near 430nm (about 2.88 eV) and a broad feeble peak near 520 nm (about 2.44 eV). The intensity of PL peak increases sharply with the enhancement of oxygen partial pressure and the decrease of measuring environmental temperature. The observed room temperature UV–violet emission is ascribed to the donor–acceptor band transition resulting from Sb doped effect.