Defect density variation with deposition rate in snsb thin films from annealing study of electrical resistance

Abstract

SnSb thin films of the same thickness (600 Å) vacuum deposited at room temperature on glass substrates at various deposition rates were heated to a maximum temperature of about 300°C and the changes in the electrical resistance with temperature were recorded. From the resistance vs temperature data “initial lattice distortion energy spectra” i.e. the variation of the defect density with its activation energy, of the films is obtained. It is found that the area of the spectra decreases with an increase in the deposition rate thereby indicating that the defect density of the film decreases with increasing deposition rate. The observed decrease in the defect density of the films with increasing deposition rate has been satisfactorily explained with the help of nucleation and growth phenomena.