Structural, electrical and optical properties of highly crystalline indium tin oxide films fabricated by RPD at room temperature

Highly crystalline indium tin oxide (ITO) films were fabricated by reactive plasma deposition (RPD) technique at room temperature. The effects of oxygen partial pressure on structural, optical and electrical properties of the ITO film were investigated. An interesting growth mode transition from 3 dimensions (3D) to 2 dimensions (2D) was observed. It was found that this transition in growth mode was accompanied by a phase change from amorphous to crystalline. In addition, the obtained ITO film showed a metal-semiconductor transition property with various transition temperatures from 90 K to 175 K. By optimizing oxygen partial pressure value, film with low resistivity of 2.3×10−4 Ω cm, carrier mobility high up to 35 cm2/V s and average optical transmittance over 90% was developed at room temperature.