Effect of Different Oxygen Flow Rate on Physical Properties of ITO Thin Films Deposited by Ion-Assistant Electron Beam Evaporation

Abstract:

Tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared on IR glass substrates at different oxygen flow rate by ion-assisted electron beam evaporation method, high purity ITO particles (In₂O₃: SnO₂ = 9:1 Wt%) were used as source material. Properties such as microstructure, morphology and mechanical properties were investigated by X-ray diffractometer, SEM and scratch tester, respectively. Meanwhile, lattice constant a, crystal grain size and residual stress situation of films as-deposited were calculated and discussed in detail. The results indicated that all of the films as-deposited were polycrystalline and represented [111] preferential orientation. With the increasing of the oxygen flow rate, grain size and surface roughness of films as-deposited decreased, and inner stress remained in film increased. There were two types of failure mode occurred in ITO films according to different stress situation. Relative high level of residual stress improved the mechanical properties of ITO films in a certain extent.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 602-603)
• Pages: 1004-1008
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.602-603.1004
• Online since: March 2014
• Authors: Yang Qiu, De Yi Meng, Yu Feng Chen, Chen Kui Zu
• Keywords: Ion-Assistant, ITO, Mechanical Property, Microstructure, Scratch Test, SEM

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