Wettability and optical properties of SnO–SnO2–Sb2O3 thin films deposited by simultaneous RF and DC magnetron sputtering

Abstract The SnO–SnO2–Sb2O3 films were deposited by simultaneous RF and DC magnetron sputtering. Increasing the ratio of O2/Ar pressure raised the intensity of the (311) peak of cubic Sb2O3 and the (200) peak of tetragonal SnO2, but clearly reduced the intensity of the (101) peak of tetragonal SnO2. According to visible-photoluminescence analyses, the blue shift of the PL peak can be attributed to the combination of smaller grains and higher compressive strain in the SnO–SnO2–Sb2O3 films. The nonlinear refractive indices of SnO–SnO2–Sb2O3 films deposited in a pure Ar or a mixed Ar–O2 atmosphere were measured by Moire deflectometry, and were of the order of 10−8 cm2 W−1. At a higher ratio of O2/Ar pressure, a transparent SnO–SnO2–Sb2O3 film exhibited a lower surface roughness, better hydrophilicity, a higher linear refractive index and a lower extinction coefficient.