Properties of indium oxide/tin oxide multilayered films prepared by ion-beam sputtering

Abstract

The preparation and characterization of indium oxide (InOx)/tin oxide (SnOy) multilayered films deposited by ion-beam sputtering are described and compared with indium tin oxide (ITO) films. The structure and the optoelectrical properties of the films are studied in relation to the layered structures and the post-deposition annealing. Low-angle X-ray diffraction analysis showed that most films retained the regular layered structures even after annealing at 500° C for 16 h. As an example, we obtained a resistivity of 6×10−4 Ω cm and a transparency of about 85% in the visible range at a thickness of 110 nm in a multilayered film of InOx (2.0 nm)/SnOy (0.2 nm)×50 pairs when annealed at 300° C for 0.5 h in air. Hall coefficient measurements showed that this film had a mobility of 17 cm2 V−1 sec−1 and a carrier concentration (electron density) of 5×1020 cm−3.