Effect of silver additive on electrical conductivity and methane sensitivity of SnO2

A composite powder of tin oxide (SnO₂) and silver (Ag) clusters was prepared by a simple and cost effective method of reducing their aqueous mixture with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). Gas sensors based on the composite were made by powder pressing procedure and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical conductivity and gas sensing behavior of the sensors for methane (CH₄) gas were studied as a function of Ag concentration (0.3, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.5 wt%). The Ag additive is found to improve sensor response and widen its working temperature range with notable sensor response. The best sensor response was achieved by the sensor with 0.5 wt% Ag. The enhanced response was proved to be due to both electrical and chemical mechanisms.     

CdS多晶薄膜的电学性质

用化学池沉积方法（ＣＢＤ）制备了ＣｄＳ多晶薄膜，并对薄膜进行了退火处理，测量了不同ＣｄＳ薄膜光电导、暗电导和电导－温度关系，计算了电导激光活能。结果表明：刚沉积的ＣｄＳ暗电导率为１０＾－６Ω＾－１．ｃｍ＾－１比光电导率低二个数量级，退火后，电导升高，电导激活能减小。Ｘ射线衍射分析表明，经退火后，ＣｄＳ薄膜发生相变，由立方结构变成六方结构。对上述结果进行了讨论。     

Effect of oxygen adsorption on the conductivity of thin SnO2 films

The effect of oxygen adsorption on the conductivity of a thin homogeneous film of tin dioxide was studied. The concentration of free electrons in the film as a function of the partial oxygen pressure in the atmosphere is described using a model formulated within the framework of a flat band approximation. The results of calculations are compared to experimental data.     

Structural,optical and electrical properties of Cu2FeSnSe4 and Cu(In,Al)Se2 thin films

Cu-based semiconductors Cu₂FeSnSe₄ (CFTSe) and Cu(In, Al)Se₂ (CIAS) have been fabricated using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering combined with rapid thermal selenization processing. For CFTSe, the heating rate ranging from 60 to 150 °C/min results in a difference in structure, morphology and optical properties. Thin film exhibits a pure phase structure, smooth surface and a band gap of 1.19 eV as the heating rate elevated to 90 °C/min. Furthermore, the CFTSe thin film selenized at 90 °C/min own the smallest value of cell volume compared with the others samples, which represents a more stable structure. In terms of the other Cu-based material CIAS, three different selenization pressures, i.e., 1, 5 and 10 Torr, have been employed for CIAS preparation. Thin film transforms into single phase with dense morphology along with the pressure of 1 Torr. The diverse band gap of CIAS thin films from 1.34 to 2.18 eV attribute to two reasons: (i) the various Al content will affect the hybridization degree of Al–Se, and finally tunes the band structure, (ii) amounts of CuSe has a certain degree of effect on the band gap of the CIAS. In addition, the electrical properties of CFTSe and CIAS are also researched with the open circuit voltage (V_oc) of 94 and 365 mV, respectively, signifying potential applications of CFTSe and CIAS for the thin film solar cells.     

The electrical properties and device applications of homoepitaxialand polycrystalline diamond films

Electronic applications of semiconductor diamonds are addressed. Doping and electrical properties of these films, formation of low-resistive `ohmic' contacts, surface modification methods, and experimental device applications are discussed. Of particular interest are high-temperature (300°C) MOSFETs and metal contacts to CVD (chemical vapor deposition) diamond films which were used to fabricate high-temperature (580°C) Schottky diodes, rudimentary MESFETs, and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The status of the emerging technology is reviewed with an emphasis on the areas of current research activity     

Cu/Sb掺杂SnO2纳米晶薄膜的H2S气敏特性

以SnCl2·2H2O、CuCl2·2H2O、SbCl3和无水乙醇为原料,采用sol-gel浸渍提拉法(sol-geldip-coatingmethod,SGDC)制备了纳米晶气敏薄膜。在多个工作温度和气体浓度下测试了薄膜对H2S的气敏特性。结果表明:r(Cu:Sb:Sn)为1:5:100,工作温度为140℃时,薄膜对H2S有很好的灵敏度和选择性,敏感浓度下限可达0.7×10–6。     

The microstructure and physical properties of thin SnO2 films

Thin polycrystalline SnO₂ films were deposited on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. Electrical, optical, and gas-sensing properties, as well as the structure and phase composition of the films, were studied. The electrical resistance of the films and the concentration and mobility of free charge carriers were determined by the four-point-probe and van der Pauw methods. The band gap and the type of optical transitions in the films were derived from optical absorption spectra. The sensitivity to toxic and explosive gases was measured. The composition, morphology, and crystal structure of the films annealed at 600°C were examined by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The films were found to contain only a tetragonal SnO₂ phase and have good crystallinity. The average grain size in the annealed films is 11–19 nm. A model of the electrical conduction in the polycrystalline SnO₂ films is discussed.     

(Cu,Mg,Nb)掺杂的SnO2压敏材料的性质

研究了 Cu O对 Sn O2 · Mg O· Nb2 O5压敏材料的密度、非线性特性、介电常数的影响。实验发现 ,适当掺杂 Cu O不仅能增大 Sn O2 · Mg O· Nb2 O5材料的致密度 ,而且能提高非线性系数 ,减小漏电流。掺 2 % Cu O(摩尔比 )时 ,Sn O2 · Mg O· Nb2 O5材料的致密度达到理论值的 93% ,非线性系数 α高达 9.5 ,压敏电压 V1 m A高于4 2 3V/ mm。在 2 0～ 2 0 0°C温度范围和 0 .1～ 10 0 0 k Hz频率范围 ,Sn O2 · Cu O· Mg O· Nb2 O5的介电常数变化很小 ,应用晶界缺陷势垒模型 ,对 Sn O2 · Cu O· Mg O· Nb2 O5材料压敏特性进行了解释。     

Structure and electrical conductivity of polycrystalline silicon films grown by molecularbeam deposition accompanied by low-energy ion bombardment of the growth surface

This paper discusses how the structure and electrical conductivity of polycrystalline silicon films grown by molecular-beam deposition are affected by the growth conditions. It shows that the films can be improved by applying to the substrate a voltage in the range 50–300 V, negative with respect to the silicon source. Such films also have higher conductivity. The results are explained in terms of bombardment of the growing film by dopant ions. Fiz. Tekh. Poluprovodn. 34, 291–295 (March 1997)     

Sol-gel-derived ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer thin films and their optical and electrical properties

Sol-gel preparation of transparent conducting ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer thin films has been investigated. CuO thin films were deposited on glass substrates via a dip-coating method. The CuO thin films were further subjected to reductive annealing in hydrogen to form highly conductive Cu thin films with sheet resistances as low as 10 Ω/□. ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayers were successfully prepared in a similar way by reducing ZnO/CuO/ZnO. The sheet resistance of the ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer thin films is about 10 kΩ/□, which is much higher than that of the pure Cu thin films. The formation of large discrete Cu crystallites in the multilayers explains the poor electrical conductivity of the sol-gel-derived ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayers.     

The effect of electromotive-force generation on electrical properties of thin samarium sulfide films

Electrical properties of thin SmS polycrystalline films with various values of the lattice constant at T = 300–580 K are studied. Specific features of the temperature dependences of electrical conductivity at T > 450 K are revealed. The effect of generation of the electromotive force with magnitude as large as 1.3 V at T = 440–470 K is observed when the films were subjected to the pressure of a spherical indenter. It is shown that it is possible to transform SmS films into a high-resistivity state (with the difference in the resistivity by three orders of magnitude) by applying an electric field with the strength higher than 100 V/cm. All the results obtained are accounted for using a model of the phenomenon of the electromotive-force generation in SmS under uniform heating of the sample and can also be attributed to the variable valence of samarium ions with respect to the lattice defects.     

LixMn2O4 thin films characterization by X-ray,electrical conductivity and XANES

The spinel Li_xMn₂O₄ thin films were prepared by a new sol–gel route. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the crystal structure with formation of high quality spinel at temperature of 800 °C. All the samples shown a Arrhenius type behavior in the electrical conductivity (σ), metal–insulator transition in low temperatures and decrease in the activation energy for high lithium concentration, indicating that the Fermi's level increased. When the pure spinel was formed the σ shown the maximum and the X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy results shown a jump in the relative intensity of the O K-edge and Mn L_2,3-edges.     

Substrate temperature effect on structural,optical and electrical properties of vacuum evaporated SnO2 thin films

Tin oxide (SnO₂) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation at different substrate temperatures. Increasing substrate temperature (T_s) from 250 to 450 °C reduced resistivity of SnO₂ thin films from 18×10⁻⁴ to 4×10⁻⁴▒ Ω ▒cm. Further increase of temperature up to 550 °C had no effect on the resistivity. For films prepared at 450 °C, high transparency (91.5%) over the visible wavelength region of spectrum was obtained. Refractive index and porosity of the layers were also calculated. A direct band gap at different substrate temperatures is in the range of 3.55−3.77 eV. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results suggested that all films were amorphous in structure at lower substrate temperatures, while crystalline SnO₂ films were obtained at higher temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the grain size and crystallinity of films depend on the substrate temperature. SnO₂ films prepared at 550 °C have a very smooth surface with an RMS roughness of 0.38 nm.     

Improvement of electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS films by 2-Methylimidazole post treatment

The electrical conductivity of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films was significantly improved without losing the optical transparency by treating the films with solution of 2-Methylimidazole in ethanol. The maximum electrical conductivity of such a thin film reached 930 S cm⁻¹, more than 1150 order of magnitude higher than that of pure PEDOT:PSS film. The mechanism of conductivity enhancement of treated thin PEDOT:PSS films was explored by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV/VIS spectrophotometer. The AFM scans show that the surface of the 2-Methylimidazole treated PEDOT:PSS layer is smoother than that of the pristine PEDOT:PSS thin film. Improvement in the morphology, electrical and optical properties of PEDOT:PSS films makes them highly suitable for numerous applications in optoelectronic devices.     

The structural,optical, and electrical properties of vacuum evaporated Cu-doped ZnTe polycrystalline thin films

We have studied the structural, optical, and electrical properties of thermally evaporated, Cu-doped, ZnTe thin films as a function of Cu concentration and post-deposition annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the ZnTe films evaporated on room temperature substrates were characterized by an average grain size of 300Å with a (111) preferred orientation. Optical absorption measurements yielded a bandgap of 2.21 eV for undoped ZnTe. A bandgap shrinkage was observed for the Cu-doped films. The dark resistivity of the as-deposited ZnTe decreased by more than three orders of magnitude as the Cu concentration was increased from 4 to 8 at.% and decreased to less than 1 ohm-cm after annealing at 260°C. For films doped with 6–7 at.% Cu, an increase of resistivity was also observed during annealing at 150–200°C. The activation energy of the dark conductivity was measured as a function of Cu concentration and annealing temperature. Hall measurements yielded hole mobility values in the range between 0.1 and 1 cm²/V·s for both as-deposited and annealed films. Solar cells with a CdS/CdTe/ZnTe/metal structure were fabricated using Cudoped ZnTe as a back contact layer on electrodeposited CdTe. Fill factors approaching 0.75 and energy conversion efficiencies as high as 12.1% were obtained.     

Enhancement of the hydrogen gas sensitivity by large distribution of c-axis preferred orientation in highly Ga-doped ZnO polycrystalline thin films

The hydrogen gas sensing properties of highly Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) polycrystalline thin films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering have been studied. The relationship between the microstructural properties of preferred c-axis oriented thin films and the hydrogen gas sensing properties is described. The crystallite size and the preferred orientation distribution were characterized by X-ray diffraction. The crystallite size increased and the preferred orientation distribution decreased with increasing film thickness. In order to control the crystallite size and the c-axis orientation separately, a highly oriented ZnO template layer with different thickness was employed for deposition of 30-nm-thick GZO films. The c-axis orientation of these films were nearly comparable each other, while the crystallite size increased significantly with increasing thickness of the ZnO templates. The hydrogen gas sensitivity at an operating temperature of 330 °C increased slightly with decreasing crystallite size, while the sensitivity was dramatically enhanced by increasing the preferred orientation distribution. It is therefore proposed that the c-axis orientation plays an important role in determining the sensitivity of the hydrogen gas sensor.     

Temperature dependence of Hall mobility and electrical conductivity in SIMOX films

Transport data obtained on SIMOX films between 77 and 300 K are qualitatively different from those derived for bulk silicon. Results suggest a strong nonuniformity of carrier mobility: the uppermost part of the SIMOX layer is of comparable quality to bulk Si, but near the buried oxide there is a degradation, confirmed by prevailing coulombian scattering even at 300 K.     

Structure and electrical properties of polycrystalline SiGe films grown by molecular beam deposition

The structural and electrical properties of polycrystalline Si_0.5Ge_0.5 films 150 nm thick grown by molecular beam deposition at temperatures of 200–550°C on silicon substrates coated with amorphous layers of silicon oxynitride were studied. It is shown that the films consist of a mixture of amorphous and polycrystalline phases. The amorphous phase fraction decreases from ～50% in films deposited at 200°C to zero in films grown at 550°C. Subsequent 1-h annealing at a temperature of 550°C results in complete solid-phase crystallization of all films. The electron transport of charge carriers in polycrystalline films occurs by the thermally activated mechanism associated with the energy barrier of ～0.2 eV at grain boundaries. Barrier lowering upon additional annealing of SiGe films correlates with an increase in the average grain size.     

Effects of Sb,Zn doping on structural,electrical and optical properties of SnO2 thin films

Highly transparent, low resistive pure and Sb, Zn doped nanostructured SnO₂ thin films have been successfully prepared on glass substrates at 400° C by spray pyrolysis method. Structural, electrical and optical properties of pure and Sb, Zn doped SnO₂ thin films are studied in detail. Powder X-ray diffraction confirms the phase purity, increase in crystallinity, size of the grains (90–45 nm), polycrystalline nature and tetragonal rutile structure of thin films. The scanning electron microscopy reveals the continuous change in surface morphology of thin films and size of the grains decrease due to Sb, Zn doping in to SnO₂. The optical transmission spectra of SnO₂ films as a function of wavelength confirm that the optical transmission increases with Sb, Zn doping remarkably. The optical band gap of undoped film is found to be 4.27 eV and decreases with Sb, Zn doping to 4.19 eV, 4.07 eV respectively. The results of electrical measurements indicate that the sheet resistance of the deposited films improves with Sb, Zn doping. The Hall measurements confirm that the films are degenerate n-type semiconductors.     

Physical properties of SnO2 films subjected to incoherent pulsed radiation

The results of studying the electrical properties of thin SnO₂ films grown by reactive magnetron deposition are reported. The film crystallization under the exposure to intense incoherent pulsed radiation was studied using a UOL.P-1 commercial setup. It was shown that short pulsed annealing for fractions of second causes crystallization of the film and high gas sensitivity. It was found that the interaction of the polycrystalline film treated isothermally with gases is similar to that of films crystallized by pulsed annealing.