Dependence of film composition and thicknesses on optical and electrical properties of ITO–metal–ITO multilayers

• Published in: Thin solid films 1998-08, Vol.326 (1), p.67-71
• Main Authors: Bender, M, Seelig, W, Daube, C, Frankenberger, H, Ocker, B, Stollenwerk, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electrical properties and measurements; Exact sciences and technology; Insulators; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Multilayers; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics; Sputtering; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/S0040-6090(98)00520-3

ITO–metal–ITO (IMI) multilayers have been prepared by DC-magnetron reactive sputtering in an vertical Inline sputtering system. AgCu films with different film thicknesses were used as metallic layers. The transmission and the reflection of the multilayers were measured, as well as the film thickness and the sheet resistance. The complex indices of refraction both of ITO and of AgCu were calculated from the measured data. By theoretical simulations an optimization of material composition and of film thicknesses has been carried out. With the IMI multilayer a sheet resistance of 5.7 Ω/sq. and a maximum transmission of about 83% was achieved. The performance of the multilayers as transparent conducting materials was compared by using a figure of merit proposed by Haacke.