Electrical and optical properties of sprayed SnO<inf>2</inf> films. Dependence on the oxidizing agent in the starting material

Tin oxide (SnO2) thin films are prepared on soda-lime glass substrates by a spray pyrolysis technique using anhydrous and pentahydrate (SnCl4·5H2O) tin chloride as starting materials. Electrical and optical properties and X-ray diffraction studies of these films as a function of substrate temperature (553-713 K) are reported. It is observed that there are differences in the properties of these films: the growth rate of SnO2 films prepared from SnCl4·5H2O is observed to be higher and the sheet resistance is lower in comparison with those of films prepared from anhydrous SnCl4. The differences in the physical properties are attributed to the water molecules in the starting material.