The effect of the ion beam energy on the properties of indium tin oxide thin films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition

• Published in: Thin solid films 2008-02, Vol.516 (7), p.1365-1369
• Main Authors: Meng, Li-Jian, Gao, Jinsong, dos Santos, M.P., Wang, Xiaoyi, Wang, Tongtong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Ion and electron beam-assisted deposition; ion plating; Ion beam assisted deposition; ITO; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics; Polycarbonate; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film; Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2007.04.159

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films have been deposited onto polycarbonate substrates by ion beam assisted deposition technique at room temperature. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, optical transmittance, ellipsometric and Hall effect measurements. The effect of the ion beam energy on the properties of the films has been studied. The optical parameters have been obtained by fitting the ellipsometric spectra. It has been found that high quality ITO film (low electrical resistivity and high optical transmittance) can be obtained at low ion beam energy. In addition, the ITO film prepared at low ion beam energy gives a high reflectance in IR region that is useful for some electromagnetic wave shielding applications.