Deposition of transparent conductive indium oxide by atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

Indium (III) beta-diketonate complexes were employed as the solid precursor sources in the atmospheric-pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition of indium oxide films using He carrier gas, O2 reactant gas and growth temperatures from 25 to 250 °C. Ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity showed that the films varied in thicknesses from 40 to 70 nm over the 30 cm2 deposition growth area for a 12 min duty cycle. The as-deposited films exhibit transmittance in excess of 90% over the visible spectrum while maintaining resistivity on the order of 10−2 Ω cm. Improved electrical properties (i.e., ρ<10−3 Ω cm) were observed after thermal treatment (T~200 °C) in a controlled gas ambient tube furnace.