Role of Tin Oxide on the Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties of Pulsed Laser Deposited (ZnO)<sub>1-x</sub>(SnO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>x </sub>Composite Thin Films

This research examines the electrical, optical, and structural properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin(IV) oxide (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composite thin films made by pulsed laser deposition, as well as the impact of composition concentration. The structural study of (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composites and thin films was conducted by X-ray analysis (XRD). Optical properties were investigated by UV–Vis infrared spectroscopy. The structural analysis revealed that all prepared thin-film composites were polycrystalline, exhibiting both hexagonal wurtzite and tetragonal phases for pure ZnO and SnO2, as well as a mixture of both phases for x=0.2 and 0.4. In contrast, the SnO2 phase was predominant for x=0.6 and 0.8. The increase in crystal size in the (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composite thin films was observed at x = 0.4 and 1.0. The optical band gap of (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composites exhibited a distinct trend as the concentration of tin oxide increased. The average optical transmission ranges from 33% to 65% in the visible region. The maximum electrical conductivity of 1.13×102 (Ωcm)-1 was obtained in the film (ZnO)0.8 (SnO2)0.2. Based on our findings, thin-film solar cells and touchpad control panels could benefit from (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composite films due to their enhanced electrical and optical properties.