Effect of wet etching process on the morphology and transmittance of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO)

Abstract

Wet etching process was performed on the surface of FTO. The FTO coated glasses subtrates with size of 2×2 cm covered by screen were patterned using zinc powder and concentrated hydrochloric acid (1 M). The substrates were then cleaned in ultrasonic baths of special detergent(helmanex) diluted in deionized water and isopropanol in sequence. The screens with various of hole size denotes by T32, T49 and T55 were used in order to create a pattern of surface textured. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) image revealed that wet etching process changes the morphology of FTO. It indicates that texturization occured. Moreover, from the UV-Vis Spectrophotometer measurement, the transmittance of FTO increase after wet etching process. The time of etching and pattern of screen were affect to the morphology and the transmittance of FTO.