Application of Ion-Beam Treatment in the Process of the Magnetron Deposition of Thin SnO2 Films

Abstract

The effect of accompanying ion-beam treatment on the structure and properties of SnO₂ films synthesized by the method of high-frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature and at 200°C is investigated. It is established that ion-beam processing does not affect the transparency and the band gap of the obtained tin-oxide films. The refractive index and resistivity change. At room temperature, the films are X‑ray amorphous, and at 200°C they are polycrystalline. X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction studies show the presence of a single phase of SnO₂. Ion-beam treatment leads to a change in the preferred orientation of the crystallites. With increasing current of ion-beam processing, the grain sizes decrease.