Transparent conducting oxide films of group V doped titania prepared by aqueous chemical solution deposition

•Aqueous chemical solution deposition of doped titanium dioxide•Doping delays the phase transition from anatase to rutile•Lowest resistivity after doping with niobium and annealing in Forming Gas•Transparency higher than 80% in the visible range of optical spectrum

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films of titania doped with vanadium (V), niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) are obtained by aqueous Chemical Solution Deposition (CSD). The effect of the dopant on the crystallization and microstructure of the resulting films is examined by means of X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. During annealing of the thin films, in-situ characterization of the crystal structure and sheet resistance is carried out. Niobium doped anatase films, obtained after annealing in forming gas, show a resistivity of 0,28 Ohm cm, which is the lowest resistivity reported for a solution deposited anatase-based TCO so far. Here, we demonstrate that aqueous CSD may provide a strategy for scalable TCO production in the future.