Properties of transparent conducting quaternary silver indium tin oxide thin films crystallized with delafossite structure

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics 2017-09, Vol.199, p.591-596
• Main Authors: Keerthi, K., Nair, Bindu G., Benoy, M.D., Raphael, Rakhy, Philip, Rachel Reena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Band gap; Bandgap tuning; Carrier density; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallite orientation; Crystallization; Delafossite; Electrical resistivity; Indium tin oxides; Structural analysis; Substrates; Thin films; Thinfilms; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2017.07.058

A study on crystalline silver indium tin oxide (AISO), a quaternary compound formed by tin incorporation in delafossite AgInO2 is briefed here. X-ray diffraction for structural characterization combined with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays for composition assessment confirms the formation of crystalline thin films with the rhomb-centered rhombohedral delafossite crystalline lattice. The variation in electrical conductivity (101–102 S/cm) and activation energy are correlated with carrier concentration and c-axis orientation induced by stoichiometric changes. A band gap tuning from 2.38 eV to 3.23 eV is achieved by the stoichiometry changes. •The lowest substrate temperature for crystallization of AISO reported till date.•Variations in electrical conductivity is related with the crystallite orientation.•Tuning of band gap is obtained by varying the silver content in the AISO films.•Sn incorporated AIO films are found to have better electrical conductivity.