Structural and photoluminescence characters of SnO2:Sb films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

The Antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO2Sb) films have been prepared on glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method. The prepared samples are polycrystalline films with rutile structure of pure SnO2 and have preferred orientation of (110) direction. XRD measurement did not detect the existence of Sb2O3 phase and Sb2O5 phase; Sb ions occupy the site of Sn ions and form the substitution doping. An intensive UV-violet luminescence peak near 392 nm is observed at room temperature. Photoluminescence (PL) properties influenced by sputtering power and annealing for the SnO2:Sb films are investigated in detail and corresponding PL mechanism is discussed. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.