Properties of highly conducting ITO films prepared by ion plating

Abstract Highly conducting In2O3:Sn films were prepared by electron enhanced ion plating onto glass substrates at 200–350°C. The films prepared under optimized conditions exhibited a resistivity of 1.0x10-4 Ω cm and an averaged visible transmission of 83% with a thickness of 82 nm. The high conductivity was explained to be due to effective and heavy doping of tin and good eletrical connections among grains on the basis of the structural examinations using SEM, SAM, AES and X-ray diffraction techniques.