The Effect of Deposition Rate on Electrical, Optical and Structural Properties of ITO Thin Films

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films have been prepared using the reactive evaporation technique on glass substrates in an oxygen atmosphere. It is found that the deposition rate plays prominent role in controlling the electrical and optical properties of the ITO thin films. Resistivity, electrical conductivity, activation energy, optical transmission and band gap energy were investigated. A transmittance value of more than 90% in the visible region of the spectrum and an electrical conductivity of 3x10 –6 Ωm has been obtained with a deposition rate of 2 nm/min. XRD studies showed that the films are polycrystalline.