Optical and electrical properties of SnO2 thin films after ultra-short pulsed laser annealing

Ultra-short pulsed laser sources, with pulse durations in the ps and fs regime, are commonly exploited for cold ablation. However, operating ultra-short pulsed laser sources at fluence levels well below the ablation threshold allows for fast and selective thermal processing. The latter is especially advantageous for the processing of thin films. A precise control of the heat affected zone, as small as tens of nanometers, depending on the material and laser conditions, can be achieved. It enables the treatment of the upper section of thin films with negligible effects on the bulk of the film and no thermal damage of sensitive substrates below. By applying picosecond laser pulses, the optical and electrical properties of 900 nm thick SnO2 films, grown by an industrial CVD process on borofloat®-glass, were modified. The treated films showed a higher transmittance of light in the visible and near infra-red range, as well as a slightly increased electrical sheet resistance. Changes in optical properties are attributed to thermal annealing, as well as to the occurrence of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSSs) superimposed on the surface of the SnO2 film. The small increase of electrical resistance is attributed to the generation of laser induced defects introduced during the fast heating-quenching cycle of the film. These results can be used to further improve the performance of SnO2-based electrodes for solar cells and/or electronic devices.