  The structural, optical and electrical properties of spray deposited antimony
(Sb) doped tin oxide (SnO2) thin films, prepared from SnCl4 precursor, have
been studied as a function of antimony doping concentration. The doping
concentration was varied from 0 to 1.5 wt.% of Sb. The analysis of x-ray
diffraction patterns revealed that the as deposited doped and undoped tin oxide
thin films are pure crystalline tetragonal rutile phase of tin oxide which
belongs to the space group P42/mnm (number 136). The surface morphological
examination with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed
the fact that the grains are closely packed and pores/voids between the grains
are very few. The transmittance spectra for as-deposited films were recorded in
the wavelength range of 200 to 1000 nm. The transmittance of the films was
observed to increase from 57% to 68% (at 800 nm) on initial addition of Sb (up
to [Sb]/[Sn] = 0.5 wt.%) and then it is decreased for higher level of antimony
doping ([Sb]/[Sn] > 0.5 wt.%). The sheet resistance of tin oxide films was
found to decrease from 48 \Omega/sq for undoped films to 8 \Omega/sq for
antimony doped films.
