Fabrication of antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) films by an inexpensive, simplified spray technique using perfume atomizer

By employing a simplified version of spray technique using perfume atomizer, antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) films were fabricated. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the ATO films prepared by this technique were studied and compared with that of the films grown by the conventional spray pyrolysis method using carrier gas. The preferred orientation of the ATO films was observed as (110). For the film with Sb/ Sn ratio =.2 at.%, the sheet resistance and resistivity were found as 20.2 Omega/square and 1.29 x 10(-3) Omega cm respectively. The average optical transmittance in the visible range is 90%. The grain size (51 nm) of the film estimated from the XRD pattern was very much in agreement with that observed from the scanning electron micrograph. All the above mentioned properties of the ATO films deposited by this simplified technique were found to be fairly comparable with that of their conventional spray counterparts. Hence this simplified spray technique can be considered as a desirable alternative to conventional spray, for the production of low-cost, large area coatings of ATO films. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.