Structural and photoluminescence characters of SnO2:Sb films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

The Antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO2:Sb) films have been prepared on glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method. The prepared samples are polycrystalline films with rutile structure of pure SnO2 and have preferred orientation of (1 1 0) direction. XRD measurement did not detect the existence of Sb2O3 phase and Sb2O5 phase; Sb ions occupy the site of Sn ions and form the substitution doping. An intensive UV-violet luminescence peak near 392 nm is observed at room temperature. Photoluminescence (PL) properties influenced by sputtering power and annealing for the SnO2:Sb films are investigated in detail and corresponding PL mechanism is discussed.