SOL-GEL DEPOSITION OF PURE AND ANTIMONY DOPED TIN DIOXIDE THIN-FILMS BY NON ALKOXIDE PRECURSORS

Pure and antimony doped tin oxide films have been deposited by the alc oholic sol gel method using non alkoxide precursor-SnCl2 . 2H(2)O as h ost and SbCl3 as the dopant precursor. Using the dip coating method, t hin films of thickness up to 300 nm. have been uniformly deposited on coming 7059, KBr and Silicon substrates. The influence of various para meters such as viscosity and pH of the sol; pulling speed and sinterin g temperature on thickness of the coatings and their microstructure ha ve been investigated. Pure as deposited films have a visible transmiss ion of (83%) but very high resistivity (7.1 x 10(-2) Ohm-m). Doping an d annealing treatments bring it down to about 5 x 10(-6) Ohm-m. It has been possible to obtain antimony doped tin oxide films having a sheet resistance of 5 Ohm/square and a visible transmission of 80% after an nealing treatment by hydrogen plasma.