Fabrication and characterization of Mn doped SnO2 thin films

Epitaxial films of Mn doped SnO2 were fabricated with pulsed laser depositi on method. Thin films with (1 0 1) and (1 0 0) orientations were grown on r -(1 1 0 2) and c-(0 0 0 1) sapphire substrates, respectively. Mn ions are s oluble into SnO2 films up to 30 mol%. Transmission spectra show d-d transit ion absorption in mid-gap region due to presence of the Mn ion. Additional doping of Sb induces an n-type conduction with a carrier concentration as h igh as 6.9 x 10(19) cm(-3) at 300 K. The resistivity rapidly increases with decreasing the temperature below 50 K, where considerable increase of the resistivity is observed in a magnetic field below 20 K. (C) 2001 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.