Study on inverse spinel zinc stannate, Zn2SnO4, as transparent conductive films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering

Inverse spinel zinc stannate (Zn2SnO4, ZTO) films were deposited onto fused quartz glass substrates heated at 800 °C by rf magnetron sputtering using a ceramic ZTO target (Zn:Sn = 2:1). H2 flow ratios [H2/(Ar + H2)] were controlled from 0 to 30% during the depositions. ZTO films deposited at 800 °C possessed a polycrystalline inverse spinel structure. The lowest resistivity of 1.1 × 10− 2 Ω cm was obtained for a ZTO film deposited at 20% H2 flow ratio. The transmittance of the ZTO film was approximately 80% in the visible region.