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Structure and Morphology of Reactively Sputtered In0.9Sn0.1Ox Layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

R. Mientus ,
I. Sieber  and
K. Ellmer
R. Mientus
Affiliation:
Opto-Transmitter-Umweltschutz-Technologie e.V., D-12555 Berlin, Germany
I. Sieber
Affiliation:
Hahn-Meitner-Institut, dept. Solar Energetics, D-14109 Berlin, Glienicker Str. 100, Germany
K. Ellmer
Affiliation:
Hahn-Meitner-Institut, dept. Solar Energetics, D-14109 Berlin, Glienicker Str. 100, Germany
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Abstract

In this work, the influence of the discharge parameter oxygen partial pressure during reactive magnetron sputtering on the structure and morphology of In0.9Sn0.1Ox films is investigated. The oxygen partial pressure was varied in order to deposit In0.9Sn0.1Ox films with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.76. The composition x was measured by Rutherford backscattering (RBS). For low x values, these films are metallic and opaque, while at x ≈ 1.5 the layers exhibit good properties as transparent and conducting electrodes. Further increase in x leads to transparent insulating films. The morphology of the films, investigated by SEM, shows significant variations with the composition x. While the metallic films consist of coarse globular grains, made up of polycrystalline indium-tin, a small addition of oxygen leads to nearly amorphous metal-oxide mixtures with smooth surfaces. Around x ≈ 1.5 the films are polycrystalline with the cubic In2O3 bixbyite structure and show a resistivity minimum. The cross sectional morphology of these films exhibits a columnar structure of broad bundles (≈250 nm), composed of narrow needle-like crystallites of about 20 nm diameter. At very high oxygen partial pressures, the grain size decreases while the strain and the resistivity increase significantly.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 721: Symposia E/J – Texture and Microstructure in Electronic and Magnetic Films – Nanostructural Magnetic Materials for Data Storage , 2002 , J6.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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