Induced structural damages by He+ irradiation in conducting transparent indium–tin oxide thin films

Irradiation of polycrystalline sputter-deposited ITO thin films on float-glass substrates was performed with high-energy MeV He+ ion beam implantation at doses in the range 2–6×10+15 ions/cm2. A significant change in both surface morphology and crystallographic structure after implantation was observed. It results in a crystallographic disorder of large crystallites with the ion dose, creation of electronic defects and a roughening of the ITO thin-films’ surface.