Enhanced light scattering effect of wrinkled transparent conductive ITO thin film

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO) plays an important role due to its high transparency and high conductivity in various optoelectronic thin-film devices. However, ITO has the drawback of mechanical fragility, limiting its development. Wrinkling has been considered a powerful tool for improving the flexibility and surface properties of thin films, but wrinkled ITO has not been reported so far. In this work, we fabricate uniform wrinkles on ITO and systematically study the properties of the wrinkled ITO in optics, electrics and mechanics. The wrinkled ITO shows a high optical transmittance and also a high haze value due to a remarkable wrinkle-induced enhancement of light scattering, which is beneficial for solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Our experimental results also indicate that wrinkles can effectively improve the mechanical bending performance of ITO without compromising the crystallization and electrical conductivity.