LAUSR

Abstract We report the electrical and optical characteristics of SnO2 thin films irradiated by microwaves (MWs) and grown using atomic layer deposition in a commercial MW oven operating at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. The properties of the MW-irradiated SnO2 thin films were compared with those of the as-deposited SnO2 thin films. After MW irradiation, the conductivity and transparency of the thin films were enhanced. In addition, the samples irradiated for 5 min showed optimal carrier concentration, Hall mobility, resistivity, and transmittance values of 1.5 × 1020 cm−3, 4.6 cm2/V s, 8 × 10−3 Ω cm, and 95.77%, respectively. The improved properties of the MW-irradiated samples were attributed mainly to the formation of an oxygen vacancy in the SnO2 lattice during MW irradiation. Our results can be applied for the fabrication of pure SnO2-based transparent conductive oxides; these oxides are generally doped with other elements.