Fabrication of highly conductive Ti1-xNbxO2 polycrystalline films on glass substrates via crystallization of amorphous phase grown by pulsed laser deposition

Nb-doped anatase TiO2 [Ti0.94Nb0.06O2 (TNO)] films with high electrical conductivity and transparency were fabricated on nonalkali glass using pulsed laser deposition and subsequent annealing in a H-2 atmosphere. The amorphous films as deposited on unheated substrates were found to crystallize, forming polycrystalline films at around 350 degrees C. The films annealed at 500 degrees C showed resistivity down to 4.6x10(-4) Omega cm at room temperature and optical transmittance of 60%-80% in the visible region, which are comparable to those of epitaxial films. These results indicate that TNO films have the potential to be practical transparent conducting oxides that could replace indium tin oxide. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.