Low-resistivity transparent In2O3 films prepared by reactive ion plating

Abstract

Indium oxide films with an electrical resistivity of less than 1.5×10−4 Ω cm and good optical quality were prepared by the reactive ion plating of pure indium in an oxygen atmosphere of ∼10−4 Torr. The deposition rate was in the range of 500–900 Å/min, which is much higher than that of the ordinary evaporation. Hall effect measurement showed that the observed low resistivity is primarily due to the high electron mobility (≥70 cm2/V s) with carrier density up to 7×1020/cm3. These properties were correlated with the atomic concentration data by Auger electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been found that the films of low resistivity had the atomic ratio of O to In of 1.29–1.31.