Effect of Sputtering Temperature on the Structure and Photoelectric Properties of ITO/Ag/ITO Multilayer Composite Films

Abstract

Abstract: Indium tin oxide (ITO)/Silver(Ag)/ITO multilayer composite films were sputtered by DC magnetron sputtering. The effect of sputtering temperature on the structure and photoelectrical properties of ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer composite films was systematically studied. ITO (m(In₂O₃)∶m(SnO₂)=9∶1; 60 mm diameter) and Ag (purity 99.999%; 60 mm diameter) targets were layered to deposit ITO and Ag films sequentially on a sodium-calcium glass substrate. The film was characterized and analyzed by X-ray diffractor, SEM, UV spectrophotometer, and a four-probe test system. The results show that the sputtering temperature has a significant effect on the morphology and structure of the film. When the sputtering temperature of Ag film and ITO film is 120 ℃, the surface morphology of the film changes from spherical to prism. The square resistance of the film is 3.68 Ω/Sq, the transmittance is 88.98% at 488 nm, and the quality factor is 0.03 Ω^-1. Compared with other sputtering temperatures, the visible light transmittance and electrical conductivity of the films are greatly improved. ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer composite film is an ideal transparent conductive material for large-size touch panels due to its excellent photoelectric performance.

Key words: megnetron sputtering, hierarchical sputtering, composite film, ITO thin film, Ag thin film, sputtering temperature

CLC Number:

TB383.2

CHENG Yuanyuan, HUANG Yujia, ZHU Guisheng, XU Huarui, WAN Le, JIAO Peiwen, WANG Kunzhe. Effect of Sputtering Temperature on the Structure and Photoelectric Properties of ITO/Ag/ITO Multilayer Composite Films[J]. Journal of Synthetic Crystals, 2022, 51(6): 1028-1033.

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