Design and Construction of a Low-Cost Spray Pyrolysis System for Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide (FTO) Thin Film Deposition Using Spray and Nebulizer-Assisted Processes
Description
Open PyroSpray is a low-cost, open-source spray pyrolysis system designed for the deposition of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films used in solar cells, sensors, and other optoelectronic devices. The system combines conventional spray pyrolysis and nebulizer-assisted deposition in a single modular platform, enabling flexible process development at a fraction of the cost of commercial equipment. A key feature is the use of a water-cooled aluminum deposition chamber, which greatly reduces precursor consumption and improves deposition efficiency. The accompanying design package includes mechanical drawings, CAD models, assembly details, and manufacturing specifications, allowing complete replication, modification, and further development of the system by other researchers
Files
Steps to reproduce
1) Fabricate the deposition chamber using the provided CAD drawings and machining files. Machine the water-cooled aluminum block, install the coolant fittings, and assemble the upper chamber components according to the supplied mechanical plans. Ensure a chamber gap of approximately 2 to 3 mm above the substrate. 2) Construct the heating system by winding Kanthal A1 resistance wire and embedding it into machined K26 refractory bricks as specified in the design files. Connect the heating element to an appropriate power supply and temperature control system. 3) Assemble the atomization module using either the pneumatic spray configuration or the nebulizer-assisted configuration described in the design package. Connect the atomizer to a filtered compressed gas source operating between 1.5 and 3 psi. 4)Prepare the precursor solution and load approximately 10 mL into the atomization system. Initiate gas flow and perform deposition for about 2 minutes under the selected operating conditions. 5) Install the glass substrate on the heated stage and stabilize the substrate temperature within the 500 to 550 °C range prior to deposition. 6) Turn on gas and start spraying 7) Characterize the deposited FTO film using sheet resistance, optical transmittance, thickness, or other relevant measurements to validate system performance and reproduce the reported results. These steps, together with the CAD files, assembly drawings, and manufacturing specifications deposited in Mendeley Data, allow complete reproduction of the Open PyroSpray system