Abstract
$SnO_2$ single layer films and 2 nm thick Ni thin film intermediated $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ trilayer films were deposited on glass substrate at room temperatures by RF and DC magnetron sputtering and then the optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated to enhance opto-electrical performance of $SnO_2$ single layer films. As deposited $SnO_2$ films show the optical transmittance of 81.8% in the visible wavelength region and a resistivity of $1.2{\times}10^{-2}{\Omega}cm$, while $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films show a lower resistivity of $5.8{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$ and an optical transmittance of 77.1% in this study. Since $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films show the higher figure of merit than that of the $SnO_2$ single layer films, it is supposed that the $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films can assure high opto-electrical performance for use as a transparent conducting oxide in various display applications.