Influence of oxygen partial pressure and heat treatment on the properties of reactively sputtered In2O3 films

Indium oxide films mere deposited on glass substrates at room temperature by reactive rf sputtering. The depositions mere carried out by sputtering pure indium in an Ar + O-2 plasma. Tile influ ence of oxygen partial pressure during deposition on the optical, electrical, and structural properties of the films was investigated. The properties of the films were also studied after post-deposition heat treatments in air and in argon atmosphere. The study shows that conducting transparent films with resistivity 1.3 x 10(-3) Omega cm and transmission above 88% call be obtained by depositing the films at high oxygen partial pressures (> 0.21 Pa) and then annealing in argon atmosphere at 500 degrees C for one hour.