In Situ Crystallization of RF Sputtered ITO Thin Films: A Comparison with Annealed Samples

Tin doped Indium Oxide (ITO) is a wide band gap semiconductor with high conductivity and transparency in the visible region of the solar spectrum. One of the most popular and exploited applications of ITO is the realization of the transparent conductive layers needed for the electrodes of light sensitive devices, such as photovoltaic cells. The thermal energy for the crystallization of ITO films is very low (150 degrees C). The crystallization can be achieved by the continuous energetic bombardment of the ions in the sputtering chamber without annealing or substrate heating. The accumulated energy will ensure the thermal energy necessary for the crystallization. With the help of sufficiently high sputtering power and sufficient duration, crystallized ITO films can be produced without annealing. In this report, a comparison of the conductivity and transparency of ITO films under two crystallization conditions ((1) crystallization of the sputtered films by annealing; (2) in situ crystallization of the films by providing high sputtering power and long sputtering duration) will be presented.