Indium Tin Oxide micro- and nanostructures grown by thermal treatment of InN/SnO2

Abstract

Mixtures of InN and SnO2 powders, with it weight ratio of 10:1, have been used as precursors for the thermal growth of arrow-shaped and other elongated micro- and nanostructures of indium-tin oxide (ITO) containing about 2.6 atom % of Sit. The temperatures used in the process, in the range 650-750 degrees C, favor the decomposition of InN and oxidation of In, with it limited incorporation of Sit in the resulting compound. Arrow-shaped indium-tin oxide structures are obtained and formation of stannates during the process is avoided. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates that tin incorporates into the In2O3 lattice mainly as Sn4+. Luminescence of the ITO microstructures has been studied by cathodoluminescence in the scanning electron microscope.