PROPERTIES OF INDIUM TIN OXIDE-FILMS PREPARED BY RF REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING AT DIFFERENT SUBSTRATE-TEMPERATURE

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited onto the glass substrates at different substrate temperatures (RT-500 degrees C) by rf reactive magnetron sputtering method. The structural, optical and electrical pr operties of ITO films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, sc anning electron microscopy, optical transmittance and reflectance, she et resistance and electrical resistivity measurements. The films depos ited at low substrate temperature have a very strong (222) diffraction peak which means a preferred orientation along the [111] direction. A s the temperature is increased, the (400) diffraction peak intensity i ncreases and results in a preferred orientation along [100] direction for the films prepared at 500 degrees C substrate temperature. The fil m prepared at 400 degrees C substrate temperature has the lowest elect rical resistivity (about 3.7 X 10(-4) Ohm cm). (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce S.A. All rights reserved.