Effect of heat treatment on the properties of dc magnetron sputtered LaB6/ITO films

Two types of LaB6/ITO films with different deposition times were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering. After the films were fabricated, AFM, XRD, FESEM, Step-Height Profiler, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer and Hall Measurement Instrument were used to study their performances. After 400 °C's annealing, morphology of fracture cross-sections of the films exhibit evolutions from strongly columnar to the equiaxial (30 min), the films prepared with short time transformed from amorphous to polycrystalline, and Ar pressure generated little effect on the film's transmissivity. The resistivity declined over one order of magnitude, and the films with higher surface roughness value were more resistant, while that for films unheatreated was just the opposite.

.Highlights► LaB6/ITO films were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering method. ► Their resistivity declined over one order of magnitude after heat treatment. ► The best photoelectric capability was gained at Ar pressure of 2.5 Pa. ► The films' cross-sections changed from strongly columnar to the equiaxial.