ION-BEAM MODIFICATION OF TRANSPARENT CONDUCTING INDIUM-TIN-OXIDE THIN-FILMS

We have examined the effects of ion implantation of various chemical s pecies on the electrical properties of transparent, conducting indium- tin-oxide (ITO) polycrystalline films with resistivities less than 200 mu Omega cm and optical transmission greater than 90%. We report on i mplantations of N+, O+, F+, Ne+ and In+ under a variety of conditions, At low to moderate doses, damage effects dominate and reduce the cond uctivity slightly before saturating at doses of similar to 10(14)/cm(2 ). At higher doses, when the implanted concentration becomes comparabl e to the free-carrier concentration (similar to 10(21)/cm(3)), some sp ecies (e.g., In+) can improve the conduction slightly, while other spe cies (e.g., O+) can reduce the conduction, in some cases by several or ders of magnitude, We also describe preliminary results of some new ex periments begun with single-crystal ITO films to permit better charact erization of the damage effects.