Dependence of the photoreduction and oxidation behavior of indium oxide films on substrate temperature and film thickness

Abstract

Indium oxide (InOx) films with a thickness of 10–1100 nm were deposited onto Corning 7059 glass and silica substrates at various substrate temperatures. An unusual decrease of the lateral grain size with increasing substrate temperature during deposition was found. The changes in the conductivity of the films after exposure to ultraviolet light in vacuum and subsequent oxidation in ozone atmosphere were analyzed and related to their structural and morphological properties. It is suggested that the photoreduction and oxidation treatments affect only a thin layer less than 10 nm at the surface of the film, while the minimum bulk conductivity is mainly determined by the structural and morphological properties.