Conductivity of nanostructured India oxide films containing Co3O4 or ZrO2

Abstract

The effect of additives of cobalt and zirconium oxides on the conductivity of nanostructured composites based on indium oxide is studied. It is shown that addition of up to 20 wt % ZrO2 to In2O3 leads to a sharp decrease in the conductivity of the composite. For the Co3O4−In2O3 system, the conductivity decreases up to a Co3O4 content of 60 wt %, after which it increases. At a Co3O4 content in the Co3O4−In2O3 system of up to 60 wt %, n-type conduction takes place, changing to p-type at 80 to 100 wt % Co3O4. Zirconium oxide exhibits practically no n-type conduction, so electric current in the ZrO2−In2O3 system flows through In2O3 nanocrystals, i.e., n-type conduction takes place. Possible causes of the observed effects are considered.