Abstract
Amorphous aluminum-doped indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films with a reduced indium oxide content of 50 mass% were manufactured by co-sputtering of ITO and Al2O3 targets in a mixed argon–oxygen atmosphere onto glass substrates preheated at 523 K. The oxygen gas flow rate and heat treatment temperature effects on the electrical, optical and structural properties of the films were studied. Thin films were characterized by means of a four-point probe, ultraviolet–visible-infrared (UV–Vis-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Transmittance of films and crystallization temperature increased as a result of doping of the ITO thin films by aluminum. The increase in oxygen flow rate led to an increase in transmittance and hindering of the crystallization of the aluminum-doped indium saving ITO thin films. It has been found that the film sputtered under optimal conditions showed a volume resistivity of 713 µΩ cm, mobility of 30.8 cm2/V·s, carrier concentration of 2.9 × 1020 cm−3 and transmittance of over 90% in the visible range.
Highlights
Thin films of indium tin oxide (ITO) have been extensively used in numerous applications such as semiconducting window electrodes for solar cells, transparent conducting electrodes for panel displays, optical solar reflectors, etc., [1,2,3,4,5] due to their low resistivity and high optical transmittance in the visible range.ITO thin films have a high price due to their high demand in industry and limited indium natural reserves
ITO (ITO50:Al2 O3 ) thin films deposited onto glass substrates preheated at 523 K (PHS)
ITO50:Al2 O3 (PHS) thin films were deposited by a co-sputtering method at
Summary
Thin films of indium tin oxide (ITO) have been extensively used in numerous applications such as semiconducting window electrodes for solar cells, transparent conducting electrodes for panel displays, optical solar reflectors, etc., [1,2,3,4,5] due to their low resistivity and high optical transmittance in the visible range.ITO thin films have a high price due to their high demand in industry and limited indium natural reserves. In order to improve optoelectronic properties of the indium-saving ITO thin films, the latter were doped with different oxides [13,14,15]. This allowed the achievement of low resistivity and high transmittance in the visible range and made indium-saving ITO thin films doped with titanium, iron and aluminum an alternative to conventional ITO (In2 O3 –10 mass% SnO2 ). It was shown that the optimal RF sputtering power for the Al2 O3 target W RF for the deposition of aluminum-doped indium-saving ITO thin films was 40 W. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript
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