The influence of material parameters on optical and electrical properties of indium-Tin oxide (ITO) layer

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO) layers of various thicknesses were deposited on silicon substrate using magnetron sputtering technique. The use of the layers is dedicated to solar cells produced on the basis of heterostructures at low range of temperatures up to 300 °C. The structure, surface composition and both, optical and electrical properties of the layers were investigated. Optical parameters were characterized by spectrophotometry and ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and four-pointed probe as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD). In order to measure the resistivity of the connection zone between electrode and deposit layer transmission line method (TLM) was used. The connection zone between electrode and ITO layer were manufactured in the temperature range of 150-250 °C. Electrodes were formed from silver conductive paste. The use of ITO layer allows optimization of optical parameters in relation to electrical properties of the layer and enables creation of contacts with low resistivity values in low-Temperature metallization processes.