Properties of tin oxide films grown by atomic layer deposition from tin tetraiodide and ozone

Kristjan Kalam; Peeter Ritslaid; Tanel Käämbre; Aile Tamm; Kaupo Kukli

doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.89

Properties of tin oxide films grown by atomic layer deposition from tin tetraiodide and ozone

Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2023 Nov 13:14:1085-1092. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.14.89. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Kristjan Kalam¹, Peeter Ritslaid¹, Tanel Käämbre¹, Aile Tamm¹, Kaupo Kukli¹

Affiliation

¹ Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, W. Ostwaldi 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia.

Abstract

Polycrystalline SnO₂ thin films were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on SiO₂/Si(100) substrates from SnI₄ and O₃. Suitable evaporation temperatures for the SnI₄ precursor as well as the relationship between growth per cycle and substrate temperature were determined. Crystal growth in the films in the temperature range of 225-600 °C was identified. Spectroscopic analyses revealed low amounts of residual iodine and implied the formation of single-phase oxide in the films grown at temperatures above 300 °C. Appropriateness of the mentioned precursor system to the preparation of SnO₂ films was established.

Keywords: atomic layer deposition; tin oxide; tin tetraiodide.

Grants and funding

The study was partially supported by the European Regional Development Fund projects Nos. TT20 and 2014-2020.4.01.20-0278 „Developing new research services and research infrastructures at MAX IV synchrotron radiation source“ (MAX-TEENUS), “Emerging orders in quantum and nanomaterials” (TK134), and the Estonian Research Agency (PRG753). We acknowledge MAX IV Laboratory for time on Beamline FinEstBeAMS under Proposal 20220073. Research conducted at MAX IV, a Swedish national user facility, is supported by the Swedish Research council under contract 2018-07152, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems under contract 2018-04969, and Formas under contract 2019-02496.