Porous tin oxide films
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAmy N. Bowers, Luisa D. Bozano, Andrea Fasoli, Krystelle Lionti, Elizabeth M. Lofano, Robert D. Miller, Linda K. Sundberg
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Abstract
Initial film layers prepared from tin(II) chloride spontaneously generate open cavities when the initial film layers are thermally cured to about 400° C. using a temperature ramp of 1° C./minute to 10° C./minute while exposed to air. The openings of the bowl-shaped cavities have characteristic dimensions whose lengths are in a range of 30 nm to 300 nm in the plane of the top surfaces of the cured film layers. The cured film layers comprise tin oxide and have utility in gas sensors, electrodes, photocells, and solar cells.
Claims20
A layered structure comprising:
- a cured film layer disposed on a substrate, the cured film layer comprising i) a tin oxide selected from the group consisting of tin(II) oxide (SnO), tin(IV) oxide (SnO2), and combinations thereof and ii) a top surface comprising independent open cavities,
- wherein
- the open cavities have respective characteristic dimensions whose lengths are in the range of 30 nm to 300 nm at the top surface of the cured film layer, the characteristic dimensions having a mean length, and
- 80% to 100% of the characteristic dimensions of the open cavities are within 10% of the mean length.
A structure, comprising:
- a film of an oxide given by the formula SnxZ1-xOy, wherein Z is a metal other than Sn, x is between 0.75 and 1, and y is at least 1.75;
- and
- a substrate that underlies and is in contact with the film;
- wherein:
- the film includes interconnected pores that extend from the top surface of the film, the pores having respective characteristic dimensions at the top surface between 30 nm and 300 nm, and
- at least 80% of the characteristic dimensions fall within 10% of the mean of the characteristic dimensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.