Physicochemical Properties of SnO2 ‐ Sb2 O 5 Films Prepared by the Spray Pyrolysis Technique

The properties of mixed‐oxide films prepared by the spray pyrolysis method were studied under different synthesis conditions. The film density, measured by profilometry and by a spectrophotometric method, was close to that reported in the literature for crystalline tin dioxide. Analysis by energy dispersive spectrometry and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the Sb/Sn atom ratio in the films was in all cases about 2.5 times larger with respect to that in the precursor solution. Microstructural characterization by wide‐angle x‐ray scattering indicates that the deposits consist of large sized crystallites. The influence of the substrate temperature ( T ) on the average crystallite size ( l ) has shown that l decreases linearly with T . Scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface of films thinner than 0.5–0.8 μm is flat with only a limited number of emerging particles.