Electrical and optical properties of 12CaO center dot 7Al(2)O(3) electride doped indium tin oxide thin film deposited by RF magnetron co-sputtering

Abstract

12CaO center dot 7Al(2)O(3) electride (C12A7:e(-)) doped indium tin oxide (ITO) (ITO:C12A7:e(-)) thin films were fabricated on a glass substrate by an RF magnetron co-sputtering system with increasing number of C12A7:e(-) chips (from 1 to 7) and at various oxygen partial pressure ratios. The optical transmittance of the ITO:C12A7:e(-) thin film was higher than 70% in the visible wavelength region. In the electrical properties of the thin film, a decrease of the carrier concentration from 2.6 x 10(20) cm(-3) to 2.1 x 10(18) cm(-3) and increase of the resistivity from 1.4 x 10(-3) Omega cm to 4.1 x 10(-1) Omega cm were observed with increasing number of C12A7:e- chips and oxygen partial pressure ratios. It was also observed that the Hall mobility was decreased from 17.27 cm(2).V-1.s(-1) to 5.13 cm(2).V-1-.s(-1). The work function of the ITO thin film was reduced by doping it with C12A7:e(-). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.