• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.521-528
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• 2008

We present the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous silicon suboxide (a-$SiO_x$) films grown on indium tin oxide glass substrates with a radio frequency magnetron technique from a polycrystalline silicon oxide target using ambient Ar. For different substrate-target distances (d = 8 cm and 10 cm), the deposition temperature effects were systematically studied. For d = 8cm, oxygen content in a-$SiO_x$ decreased with dissociation of oxygen onto the silicon oxide matrix; temperature increased due to enlargement of kinetic energy. For d = 10 cm, however, the oxygen content had a minimum between $150^{\circ}\;and\;200^{\circ}$. Using simple optical measurements, we can predict a preferred orientation of liquid crystal molecules on a-$SiO_x$ thin film. At higher oxygen content (x > 1.6), liquid crystal molecules on an inorganic liquid crystal alignment layer of a-$SiO_x$ showed homogeneous alignment; however, in the lower case (x < 1.6), liquid crystals showed homeotropic alignment.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-36
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• 2016

In the present work, a Ni-doped indium zinc oxide (NIZO) film and its multilayers with Ag layers were investigated as transparent conducting electrodes for liquid crystal display (LCD) applications, as a substitute for indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. By interposing the Ag layer between the NIZO layers, the loss of the optical transmittance occurred; however, the Ag layer brought enhancement of electrical sheet resistance to the NIZO/Ag/NIZO multilayer electrode. The twisted nematic cell based on the NIZO/Ag/NIZO multilayer electrode exhibited superior electro-optical characteristics than those based on single NIZO electrode and was competitive compared to those based on the conventional ITO electrode. An LCD-based NIZO/Ag/NIZO multilayer electrode may allow new approaches to conventional ITO electrodes in display technology.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2021

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films have been widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as OLEDs, TFTs, and solar cells. However, thin films of indium tin oxide (ITO) have few disadvantages pertaining to process parameters such as substrate temperature and sputtering power. In this study, we investigated the requirements for using TCO films in silicon-based solar cells and the best alternative TCO materials to improve their efficiency. Moreover, we discussed the current status of high-efficiency solar cells using low-temperature TCO films such as indium zinc oxide and Zr-doped indium oxide.

• Clean Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2015

Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) is a material that is widely used for transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). Indium (In), chief element of the ITO, is expected to be depleted in the near future owing to its high cost and limited reserves. To overcome the issue, ITO has to be retained by recycling redundant ITO targets after manufacturing processes. In this article, we proposed an efficient recycling way of the redundant ITO targets with investigation of the current recycling tendencies in domestic and foreign countries. As a result, it was revealed that only In is recycled from the redundant targets in domestic and Japan. As well, fabrication of TCEs is being researched with ITO nanoparticles solutions. However, since the TCEs fabricated with ITO target is superior to those with other materials, it is thought that establishment of regeneration technology of ITO itself is demanded for an efficient recycling and fabrication of ITO target.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.705-716
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• 2017

In this study, Indium-Titanium hydroxide particle with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 wt% of $TiO_2$ were synthesized by sol process and adding the base, ITiO(Indium Titanium Oxide) particles were obtained by gelling at $200^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$. The ITiO particle's size with gel process at $200^{\circ}C$ was smaller than ITiO particle's size with gel process $500^{\circ}C$. The ITiO particle with gel process at $200^{\circ}C$ was used to fabricate dense ITiO target. ITiO targets with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 wt% of $TiO_2$ were fabricated and used to obtain ITiO thin films onto glass by sputtering. Among those sputtered ITiOs' thin films, ITiO thin film with 0.4 % of $O_2$ and 0.5 wt% of $TiO_2$ showed the lowest specific resistance, highest charge mobility and lowest carrier concentration. It was found the light transmittance of the ITiO film were increased highly compared to light transmittance of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) thin film over Infrared wavelength ranges.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.242-248
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• 2014

Flexibility of a transparent device has been required in accordance with miniaturization and mobilization needs in recent industry. The most representative material used as a transparent electrode is indium tin oxide (ITO). However, a couple of disadvantages of ITO are the exhaustion of natural resource of indium and its inflexibility due to inorganic substance. To overcome the limit of ITO, a variety of alternative materials have been researched on development of transparent electrodes and its properties through composite materials. In this review, we classify some of emerged materials with their general studies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.207.2-207.2
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• 2013

Oxide-based thin film transistors have been attempted as powerful candidates for driving circuits for active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes and transparent electronics. The oxide TFTs are based on the amorphous multi-component oxides involving zinc, indium, and/or tin elements as main cation sources. The current work employed RF sputtering in order to deposit zinc-tin oxide thin films applicable to transparent oxide thin film transistors. The deposited thin film was characterized and probed in terms of materials and devices. The physical/chemical characterizations were performed using X-ray diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy, Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The thin film transistors were fabricated using a bottom-gated structure where thermally-grown silicon oxide layers were applied as gate-dielectric materials. The inherent properties of oxide thin films are combined with the corresponding device performances with the aim to fabricating the multi-component oxide thin films being optimized towards transparent electronics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.208-208
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• 2010

Indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) thin films were studied as a possible alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) films for providing low-cost transparent conducting oxide (TCO) for thin film photovoltaic devices. IZTO films were deposited onto glass substrates at room temperature. A dc/rf magnetron co-sputtering system equipped with a ceramic target of the same composition was used to deposit TCO films. Earlier studies showed that the resistivity value of $In_{0.6}Zn_{0.2}Sn_{0.2}O_{1.5}$ (IZTO20) films could be lowered to approximately $6{\times}10^{-4}ohm{\cdot}cm$ without sacrificing optical transparency and still maintaining amorphous structure through the optimization of process variables. The growth rate was kept at about 8 nm/min while the oxygen-to-argon pressure ratio varied from 0% to 7.5%. As-deposited films were always amorphous and showed strong oxygen pressure dependence of electrical resistivity and electron concentration values. Influence of forming gas anneal (FGA) at medium temperatures was also studied and proven effective in improving electrical properties. In this study, the chemical composition of the targets and the films varied around the $In_{0.6}Zn_{0.2}Sn_{0.2}O_{1.5}$ (IZTO20). It was the main objective of this paper to investigate how off-stoichiometry affected TCO characteristics including electrical resistivity and optical transmission. In addition to the composition effect, we have also studied how film properties changed with processing variables. IZTO thin films have shown their potential as a possible alternative to ITO thin films, in such way that they could be adopted in some applications where currently ITO and IZO thin films are being used. Our experimental results are compared to those obtained for commercial ITO thin films from solar cell application view point.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.168-174
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• 2016

A conductive oxide-based sapphire glass indium tin oxide/metal electrode and the optical coating, through patterning process was studied in excellent optical properties and integrated touch panel has a high strength. Indium tin oxide conductive oxides of the sapphire glass to 0.3 A at DC magnetron sputtering method of 10 min, gas flow Ar 10 Sccm Ar, $O_2$ 1.0 Sccm the formation conditions of the thin film after annealing at $550^{\circ}C$ for 30min was achieved through a 86% transmittance. In addition, the coating 130 nm hollow silica sol-gel was to improve the optical transmittance of the indium tin oxide to 91%. For the measurement by the modeling hollow silica sol by Macleod simulation and calculated the average values of silica part to the presence or absence in analogy to actual. Refractive index value and the actual value of the material on the simulation the transmittance difference is it does not completely match the air region similar to the actual value (transmission) could be confirmed that the measurement is set to a value of between 5 nm and 10 nm.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.798-801
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• 2007

Multilayer transparent electrodes, having a much lower electrical resistance than the widely used transparent conducting oxide electrodes, were prepared by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The multilayer structure consisted of five layers, indium tin oxided (ITO)/zinc oxide (ZnO)/Ag/zinc oxide (ZnO)/ITO. With about 50 nm thick ITO films, the multilayer showed a high optical transmittance in the visible range of the spectrum and had color neutrality. The electrical and optical properties of ITO/ZnO/Ag/ZnO/ITO multilayer were changed mainly by Ag film properties, which were affected by the deposition process of the upper layer. Especially ZnO layer was improved to adhesion of Ag and ITO. A high quality transparent electrode, having a resistance as low as and a high optical transmittance of 91% at 550 nm, was obtained. It could satisfy the requirement for the flexible OLED and LCD.