Preparation of transparent and conductive multicomponent Zn–In–Sn oxide thin films by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

Abstract

This article describes the preparation of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films by a vacuum arc plasma evaporation (VAPE) method using multicomponent oxide materials composed of any combination of two of the following binary compounds: ZnO, In2O3, and SnO2. The resulting TCO thin films were prepared with high deposition rates with the desired chemical composition in the ZnO–In2O3, In2O3–SnO2, and SnO2–ZnO systems by altering the composition of the sintered oxide fragments used as the source materials. Minimum resistivities were obtained in amorphous In2O3–ZnO, SnO2–In2O3, and ZnO–SnO2 thin films that were prepared with a Zn content of about 8.5 at. %, an In content of about 46 at. %, and a Sn content of about 78 at. %, respectively. It was found that the electrical, optical and chemical properties in ZnO–SnO2 thin films prepared using the VAPE method could be controlled by altering the Sn content.