Oxygen effect of transparent conducting amorphous Indium Zinc Tin Oxide films on Polyimide substrate for flexible electrode

•Indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) films were deposited on polyimide at room temperature.•Transparent conducting properties of IZTO were influenced with oxygen partial pressure.•The smooth surface and high work function of IZTO were beneficial to anode layer.•The mechanical reliability of IZTO shows better performance to indium tin oxide film.

This paper discusses the effect of oxygen on the transparent conducting properties and mechanical durability of the amorphous indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) films. IZTO films deposited on flexible clear polyimide (PI) substrate using pulsed direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at room temperature under various oxygen partial pressures. All IZTO films deposited at room temperature exhibit an amorphous structure. The electrical and optical properties of the IZTO films were sensitively influenced by oxygen partial pressures. At optimized deposition condition of 3.0% oxygen partial pressure, the IZTO film shows the lowest resistivity of 6.4 × 10− 4 Ωcm, high transmittance of over 80% in the visible range, and figure of merit value of 3.6 × 10− 3 Ω− 1 without any heat controls. In addition, high work function and good mechanical flexibility of amorphous IZTO films are beneficial to flexible applications. It is proven that the proper oxygen partial pressure is important parameter to enhance the transparent conducting properties of IZTO films on PI substrate deposited at room temperature.