O-2 cluster ion-assisted deposition for tin-doped indium oxide films

In order to realize high throughput for industrial application, a new gas c luster ion-assisted deposition system has been developed. Tin-doped indium- oxide (ITO) films were formed by using the Oz gas cluster ion beam-assisted deposition technique. Large oxygen cluster ions which can transport thousa nds of atoms in an ion with very low energy per constituent atom were used iu this deposition process. The energetic oxygen clusters collapse at the s urface and react with the metal atoms. About 10% of atoms are incorporated, when the kinetic energy of the cluster ion is above 5 keV. Interactions be tween cluster ions and substrate atoms occur in the near-surface region and cluster ions can deposit their energy with a high density in a very locali zed surface region. The oxidation reaction on the surface can be enhanced b y energetic cluster ion bombardment which offers a new technique for ion-as sisted thin film formation. Very smooth, highly transparent (>80%) and low resistivity films were obtained by using a 7 keV oxygen cluster ion beam. ( C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.