Indium Tin Oxide – Silicon Nanocrystal Nanocomposite Grown by Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition

Nanocomposite films were grown by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition in a single deposition process using a mixture of indium tin neodecanoate and ligand stabilized silicon nanocrystals dispersed in a solvent. Samples were analysed by HRTEM and silicon nanocrystals with a density of 1.2 x 1012 cm-2 were observed. From the reconstructed 3D tomogram, the averaged distance between the nearest nanoparticles is 8.3nm and the 3D density of nanoparticles is 1.6 x 1018 cm-3. These data show the versatility of aerosol-assisted CVD in achieving a high density of nanocrystals within a polycrystalline host-matrix, meeting the density and size distribution requirements for particle inclusion in active nanocomposites for photovoltaic applications.