Modeling of optical and electrical properties of In2O3:Sn coatings made by various techniques

• Published in: Thin solid films 2006-04, Vol.502 (1-2), p.205-211
• Main Authors: SOLIEMAN, A, AEGERTER, M. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical coatings; Optical elements, devices, and systems; Optics; Physics
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.07.277

The optical and electrical properties of two types of wet chemical processed tin doped indium oxide (ITO) films deposited by spin coating technique as well as of a commercial sputtered ITO film have been measured. The transmission and reflection spectra in the wavelength range 0DDT25 to 20 D*mm have been simulated using the Scout 2 software with different dielectric function models. The electrical parameters obtained from the modeling are compared with those obtained experimentally. The optical data of a low porosity (28%), low specific resistivity (D*r=6DDT3x10-4D*W cm) sol-gel film deposited from an ethylene glycol solution of In and Sn salts and sintered at 550 DDGC, as well as those of an Asahi Glass sputtered film (D*r=1DDT9x10-4D*W cm) have been successfully fitted with the Drude model and the electrical parameters deduced from the fitting are in good agreement with the measured ones. On the other hand, the best fit of the optical data of a thick single coating prepared using dispersed crystalline nanoparticles was obtained using the Bruggemann effective medium theory coupled with the extended Drude model. The electrical and structural parameters deduced from the fitting are also in good agreement with those measured. The results are discussed in terms of the morphology of the coatings.