XRD and SEM studies of reactively deposited tin oxide thin films

Stoichiometric polycrystalline tin oxide thin films were deposited by the reactive evaporation of tin and the SnO₂ formation was found to be strongly dependent on the deposition parameters. The preferred orientation of the SnO₂ films deposited on different substrates was varying due to the dislocation defects arising during the thin film formation. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies identified a tetragonal structure while the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies revealed a polycrystalline surface for the SnO₂ films reactively deposited.