Influence of reactor neutrons irradiation on electrical, optical and structural properties of SnO2 film prepared by sol–gel method

SnO2 films elaborated by sol–gel method were irradiated with reactor neutron. The irradiations were made at a temperature of about 40 °C, with fast neutron fluences (En>1.2 MeV) up to 9.6×1017 n cm−2. The induced defect has been studied by electrical, optical and structural measurements. The electrical measurements show that the resistivity rapidly increases with increasing fluences up to 3.2×1017 n cm−2 and remains constant for higher fluence (>6.4×1017 n cm−2). The optical measurements show a small decrease of the optical band gap with increasing fluences. From the X-ray diffraction patterns, it was found that the crystallinity and grain size are reduced.