Effect of rapid thermal annealing on the properties of spin-coated In–Zn–Sn–O films

We investigated the effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on the electrical, optical and structural properties of In–Zn–Sn–O (IZTO) films prepared by spin-coating process using IZTO nanoink. By using conventional spin-coating process using IZTO nanoink, we could coat the IZTO film on a glass substrate under atmospheric ambient. At optimized RTA temperature of 700 °C and working pressure of 100 Torr under pure nitrogen ambient, we were able to obtain a spin-coated IZTO films with a sheet resistance of 45 Ω/square and transmittance of 81.62% at 550 nm wavelength. This indicates that the IZTO film prepared by simple spin-coating printing is a visible alternative to high cost sputtered-IZTO films and possibility of solution-based transparent electrode for cost-efficient solution based optoelectronic devices.

► The spin-coated In–Zn–Sn–O films was investigated as a printable TCO electrode. ► The effect of RTA on the properties of IZTO films was investigated. ► The optimized IZTO film showed Rsh of 45 Ω/square and transmittance of 81.62%.