Sputtering deposition of P-type SnO films with SnO₂ target in hydrogen-containing atmosphere.

In this work, we had investigated sputtering deposition of p-type SnO using the widely used and robust SnO2 target in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere. The effects of the hydrogen-containing sputtering gas on structures, compositions, optical, and electrical properties of deposited SnOx films were studied. Results show that polycrystalline and SnO-dominant films could be readily obtained by carefully controlling the hydrogen gas ratio in the sputtering gas and the extent of reduction reaction. P-type conductivity was unambiguously observed for SnO-dominant films with traceable Sn components, exhibiting a p-type Hall mobility of up to ∼3 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). P-type SnO thin-film transistors using such SnO-dominant films were also demonstrated.