Evaluation of the film formation and the charge transport mechanism of indium tin oxide nanoparticle films

The structure formation and charge transfer of thin nanoparticulate indium tin oxide (ITO) films prepared by dip-coating was studied as a function of stabilizer before and after annealing at different temperatures. The analysis of the film structure by optical methods revealed that it is a function of the stability. Suspensions containing an optimum stabilizer concentration of 0.1 mol/l resulted in densely packed films with a peak specific conductivity of 8.3 S cm− 1 after annealing at 550 °C for 1 h in air and 121 S cm− 1 after annealing in forming gas at 250 °C for 1 h, respectively. Furthermore, for the densely packed films fluctuation-induced tunnelling was found to be the dominant charge transport mechanism, whereas for the low density films a thermally activated charge transport was observed. That the films of maximum density showed a metallic charge transport behaviour at temperatures above 300 K indicated the optimal contact between ITO particles had been achieved.