Effect of Annealing on the Properties of Sb Doped ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Spray Pyrolysis Technique

Sb doped ZnO thin films have been deposited on glass substrate at 450 degrees C using spray pyrolysis technique. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the as deposited films are polycrystalline in nature with (100) preferred orientation. Whereas the films annealed at 450 degrees C for 6h show a preferential orientation along (101) direction. Crystallites size varies from 15.7 nm to 34.95 nm with annealing duration. The Scanning electron microscopic analysis shows the plane and smooth surface of the films. The optical properties of annealed films have shown a variation in the band gap between 3.37 eV and 3.19 eV. Transparency of as grown and annealed films decreases from 78 % to 65% respectively in the visible region. The electrical conductivity of the as grown film shows an increase in the electrical conductivity by one order of magnitude with increase in the annealing duration.