Preparation of large-scale uniformly crystallized ITO thin films by rapid infrared annealing technique

Abstract

This paper proposes three engineering application technology applications for rapid infrared annealing (RIA): scanning annealing, lamp array preheating and scanning annealing, and lamp array annealing. For the dynamic scanning annealing method, the influence of the working distance from the infrared lamp to the amorphous indium tin oxide (ITO) film and the scanning speed on the heating of the film surface were studied. For lamp array preheating and scanning annealing, the attenuation of the compressive stress on the surface of the chemically strengthened glass under the condition of low temperature and the long holding time were revealed. For lamp array annealing, the influence of this technology on the optical and electrical properties of the ITO film and the surface compressive stress of chemically strengthened glass were studied. Using the lamp array preheating and scanning annealing and lamp array annealing technology, not only a crystalline ITO film with excellent optical and electrical properties and uniformity can be prepared quickly, but also the impact of the crystallization process on chemically strengthened glass can be reduced greatly.