Structure of heterosystems formed by a SnO2 film and island metal (Ag, Au, or Pd) condensate

Abstract

We have studied the phase composition and microstructure of thin tin(IV) oxide films surfacemodified with silver, gold, and palladium nanoislands. Using high-energy electron diffraction, we have shown for the first time that the thermal oxidation of the Sn films leads to the formation of nanocrystalline multiphase SnO₂ films in which the major phase is orthorhombic. Also present are (in order of decreasing content) tetragonal and cubic phases. Blocks of SnO₂(O) subgrains with 〈101〉 texture contain dislocations and stacking faults, which are interpreted as layers of the tetragonal phase. It has been shown that vacuum condensation makes it possible to modify the surface of SnO₂ films with noble metals and obtain homogeneous nanoisland coatings characterized by a unimodal, uniform island size distribution.