Wide bandgap Sb-doped SrSnO₃ thin films: a sustainable transparent conductor for next-generation optoelectronics

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are crucial for optoelectronic applications, but widely used indium tin oxide (ITO) faces sustainability challenges. Perovskite oxides, particularly Sb-doped SrSnO₃ (SSSO), offer a promising alternative due to their stability, tunable properties, and abundance. This study presents SSSO thin films synthesized via a modified sol-gel method, achieving high crystallinity, good UV-visible transmittance, and a wide bandgap (4.04 eV). Different doping levels were explored to optimize performance. A diode based on an n-SSSO/p-Si structure demonstrated excellent efficiency, especially under LED white light, proving SSSO potential as a cost-effective, eco-friendly alternative for next-generation optoelectronics.