Structural and photoluminescence characterization of SnO2: F thin films deposited by advanced spray pyrolysis technique at low substrate temperature

Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates, at different substrate temperatures using advanced spray pyrolysis technique. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the crystallinity of the thin films increased with increasing substrate temperature. FESEM and AFM studies support the conclusions drawn from X-ray diffraction studies. X-ray photoelectron studies confirm oxygen deficiency in formation of the FTO nanocrystallites. The photoluminescence of the FTO films were investigated. It was found that, room temperature photoluminescence spectra are dominated by oxygen vacancies and exhibit a rich violet photoluminescence band about ∼404nm with an extensively feeble red emission about 700nm. The Photoluminescence intensity varies with the substrate temperature. The photoemission position is observed to be independent of substrate temperature. ► Photoluminescent FTO thin films were deposited at low substrate temperatures. ► Influence of substrate temperature on the PL characteristics was studied. ► The samples are polycrystalline with a cassiterite tetragonal crystal structure. ► The room temperature UV/violet PL emission was dominated by the oxygen vacancies. ► PL efficiency is optimum at 613K substrate temperature.