Effects of gamma irradiations on structural and electrical properties of indium oxide thin films prepared by thermal evaporation

• Effects of gamma irradiations on annealed In2O3 films were studied for first time.
• Gamma irradiation induces changes in structural and electrical properties.
• Crystallinity and conductivity enhance up to a certain dose and reduce thereafter.

Effects of gamma irradiations on structural and electrical properties of the post-annealed indium oxide thin films of thickness 750 nm, prepared by thermal evaporation in vacuum, were studied. The thin films, exposed to various levels of the gamma radiation dose, were characterized by XRD, SEM and I–V measurements. Results show that the average grain size and the degree of crystallinity increase with the gamma radiation dose up to a certain dose and decrease thereafter. Results also show that the conductivity increases with the gamma radiation dose up to the same value of the dose and decreases thereafter. The dislocation density, however, shows the opposite trend of the dose dependence.