P- to n-type conductivity inversion of nitrogen-incorporated SnO deposited via sputtering

The p-type to n-type conductivity inversion of SnO thin films was demonstrated through nitrogen incorporation via reactive RF sputtering. The undoped SnO thin film showed a relatively low p-type conductivity of 0.05 Ω^-1cm^-1 and it was lowered slightly to 0.04 Ω^-1cm^-1 with nitrogen incorporation. Then the SnO thin films exhibited the n-type conductivity of 79.97 Ω ^-1cm^-1 as the nitrogen incorporation was increased. The undoped SnO thin film consisted of a polycrystalline SnO phase with a preferred (101) orientation; however, with nitrogen incorporation, the preferred orientation was suppressed, and the SnO thin films became nanocrystalline.