Optimization of Sputtering Parameters for the Deposition of Low Resistivity Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films

doi:10.1007/s40195-014-0048-0

摘要/Abstract

Abstract:

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films have been deposited using RF sputtering technique at different pressures, RF powers, and substrate temperatures. Variations in surface morphology, optical properties, and film resistances were measured and analyzed. It is shown that a very low value of sheet resistance (1.96 Ω/sq.) can be achieved with suitable arrangement of the deposition experiments. First, at constant RF power, deposition at different pressure values is done, and the condition for achieving minimum sheet resistance (26.43 Ω/sq.) is found. In the next step, different values of RF powers are tried, while keeping the pressure fixed on the previously found minimum point (1–2 Pa). Finally, the minimum resistivity is obtained by sweeping the substrate temperatures, while keeping RF power and the working pressure at their optimum values. Furthermore, the effects of process parameters on properties, such as the surface morphology and the optical transmission, are discussed. Although the point of minimum resistivity does not coincide with that of the maximum transparency of ITO film, relatively acceptable values of transmittance (approximately 75% on a glass substrate with intrinsic transparency of 89%) can be obtained.

Key words: Indium tin oxide, Sputtering, Deposition, Parameters optimization

. [J]. 金属学报英文版, 2014, 27(2): 324-330.

Navid Yasrebi, Behrang Bagheri, Payam Yazdanfar, Bizhan Rashidian, Pezhman Sasanpour. Optimization of Sputtering Parameters for the Deposition of Low Resistivity Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2014, 27(2): 324-330.

图/表 12

Fig. 1 Schematic of the ITO RF sputtering system

Table 1 Deposition parameters for different samples

Sample No.	RF power (W)	Substrate temperature (°C)	Working pressure (Pa)
1	130	RT	6
2	130	RT	4
3	130	RT	2
4	130	RT	1
5	130	RT	0.6
6	130	RT	0.4
7	150	50	2
8	140	50	2
9	130	50	2
10	120	50	2
11	110	50	2
12	100	50	2
13	150	32	2
14	150	65	2
15	150	85	2
16	150	105	2

Fig. 2 The effect of the working pressure on the sheet resistance of the deposited ITO layer

Fig. 3 The effect of the working pressure on the surface roughness of the samples. The roughness is increased, as the working pressure increases

Fig. 4 2D (top) and 3D (bottom) AFM images of the samples prepared at different working pressures (from left to right): 6, 4, 2 Pa. The RF power and the substrate temperature are held at 140 W and 27 °C, respectively

Fig. 5 The variations in the ITO film sheet resistance with RF power at constant pressure (2 Pa) and constant temperature (50 °C)

Fig. 6 The variations in the surface roughness with the sputtering power. The roughness is increased, as the RF power increases

Fig. 7 2D (top) and 3D (bottom) AFM images of the samples prepared at different sputtering powers (from left to right): 150, 130, 110 W

Fig. 8 The effect of the temperature variations on the sheet resistance of the deposited ITO thin films at previously optimized values of pressure and RF power

Fig. 9 The variations in the surface roughness with respect to the temperature, at constant pressure and RF Power

Fig. 10 Transmission spectrum of samples 7–12 relative to glass substrate (T0). Sample numbers are consistent with Table 1

Fig. 11 Variation of average transmittance of the samples. Average transmittance of the glass substrate (not shown) is approximately 89%. Sample numbers are consistent with Table 1

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