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Tin oxide is a versatile material that is frequently used in temperature, gas, and photo-sensing applications. It is well-known for its beneficial physical and chemical properties. This work describes an economical fabrication technique that uses an airbrush to apply SnO2 to a glass substrate in ambient circumstances. Important variables were carefully controlled, such as a constant 30 cm distance from the head of the airbrush to the preheated substrates, a 0.5 ml/minute deposition rate, and a 300 °C deposition temperature. Following that, annealing procedures were conducted at 350, 450, and 550 °C for 30 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere to investigate the effects on optical, morphological, and structural characteristics. X-ray diffraction (XRD) structural investigation revealed a significant increase in crystallinity at higher annealing temperatures, with each thin film consistently displaying cassiterite phase matching with PDF number (PDF 00-041-1445). The produced tin dioxide thin films appear homogeneous in the images taken by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). However, there were visible structural defects. Additionally, an increase in surface roughness with higher annealing temperatures was found by atomic force microscopy (AFM) examinations. Such result holds significant value in fields like gas-sensing and photon absorption, which the surface properties are critical to overall sensor performance. Finally, extensive investigations combined with the economical fabrication approach present a potential path toward customizing tin oxide thin films for a range of applications. The material's advantage for practical applications is improved by the capacity to modify structural and morphological properties through annealing conditions (in a nitrogen gas ambience etc.), demonstrating its potential in emerging fields of technology. |
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