Characterization of Nanocrystalline SnO₂-Y₂O₃ Thin Films Prepared Using Chemical Bath Deposition

Abstract

Nanocrystalline SnO2-Y2O3 thin film has been successfully prepared by using chemical bath deposition method at low reaction temperature 72 °C on SiO2/Si substrates. The structural and surface morphology of the annealed sample at 500 °C for 2 h in air were investigated using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The crystallization of SnO2-Y2O3 film with tetragonal rutile structure was achieved when the film was exposed to annealing at 500 °C. Where several diffraction peaks that correspond to the (110), (101), (200), (211), (220) and (002) planes that agree very well with standard bulk SnO2 having a tetragonal rutile structure. As well as the diffraction peak that correspond to (111) emerged at θ = 29.48o is matched with bulk Y2O3. The surface morphology appeared as polycrystalline with uniform nanoparticle distribution. The EDX spectra of examined film showed the film consists of O, Sn, Y, and Si elements. The cross-section image and the average thickness of the annealed SnO2-Y2O3 film at 500 °C was approximately 330 nm. Additionally, approximately 880 nm thick layer of SiO2 emerges on the top of the silicon substrate. This finding demonstrates the ability to prepare nonocrystalline SnO2-Y2O3 thin film with high quality by using chemical bath deposition method.