Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microstructure and optical properties of nano Ag-ITO films

  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nano Ag-ITO films with Ag volume fraction of 0.3%–1.0% were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron co-sputtering and analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Microstructure analysis shows that the films are composed of polycrystalline ITO matrix embedded with Ag nanoparticles with a mean size of 60–100 nm. Transmissivity spectra of Ag-ITO films indicate that the visible light transmissivity of the films decreases with increasing the Ag fraction. The transmissivity of the annealed films is higher than that of the as-deposited films. The volume 0.3% Ag-ITO films have the highest light reflectance. The annealed films exhibit lower light absorptance than as-deposited films. A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of volume 0.3% Ag-ITO films is located around 510 nm. Compared with the annealed ITO film, the annealed volume 0.3% Ag-ITO film shows 10% higher reflectivity, while its transmittance is almost the same as that of the annealed ITO film, indicating its potential application in new-type transflective displays.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bhatti M T, Rana A M, Khan A F. Characterization of rf-sputtered indium tin oxide thin films. Mater Chem Phys, 2004, 84: 126–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Alam M J, Cameron D C. Characterization of transparent conductive ITO thin films deposited on titanium dioxide film by a sol-gel process. Surf Coat Tech, 2001, 142–144: 776–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Meng L J, Placido F. Annealing effect on ITO thin films prepared by microwave-enhanced dc reactive magnetron sputtering for telecommunication applications. Surf Coat Tech, 2003, 166: 44–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Deng W, Ohgi T, Nejo H, et al. Development of conductive transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films deposited by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering for photon-STM applications. Appl Phys A, 2001, 72: 595–601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chopra K L, Major S, Pandya D K. Transparent conductors-A status review. Thin Solid Films, 1983, 102: 1–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Dawar A L, Joshi J C. Semiconducting transparent thin films: Their properties and applications. J Mater Sci, 1984, 19: 1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cui H N, Xi S Q. The fabrication of dipped CdS and sputtered ITO thin films for photovoltaic solar cells. Thin Solid Films, 1996, 288: 325–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Shigesato Y, Takaki S, Haranoh T. Electrical and structural properties of low resistivity tin-doped indium oxide films. J Appl Phys, 1992, 71: 3356–3354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Clanget R. Ionized impurity scattering in degenerate In2O3. Appl Phys A, Mater, 1973, 2: 247–256

    Google Scholar 

  10. Köstlin H, Rost J, Lems W. Optical and electrical properties of doped In2O3 flims. Phys Status Solidi A, 1975, 29: 87–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Bender M, Seelig W, Daube C, et al. Dependence of oxygen flow on optical and electrical properties of DC-magnetron sputtered ITO films. Thin Solid Films, 1998, 326: 72–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Canhola P, Martins N, Raniero L, et al. Role of annealing environment on the performances of large area ITO films produced by rf magnetron sputtering. Thin Solid Films, 2005, 487: 271–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Bertran E, Corbella C, Vives M, et al. RF sputtering deposition of Ag/ITO coatings at room temperature. Solid State Ionics, 2003, 165: 139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Choi K H, Kim J Y, Lee Y S, et al. ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer films for the application of a very low resistance transparent electrode. Thin Solid Films, 1999, 341: 152–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Xie Z B, Wang Q Q, Zhou Z G, et al. Resonance characteristics of Au-Ag-SiO2 composite nanoparticle films (in Chinese). J Wuhan Univ, 1999, 45: 84–86

    Google Scholar 

  16. Cai Q, Cao C B, Jiang X S, et al. Microstructures and stoichiometries of indium-tin-oxide films. Chin J Vac Sci Technol, 2007, 27: 195–199

    Google Scholar 

  17. Yang C H, Lee S C, Chen S C, et al. The effect of annealing treatment on microstructure and properties of indium tin oxides films. Mat Sci Eng B-Solid, 2006, 129: 154–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhong D S. Vacuum Coating-Choices and Applications of Optical Materials (in Chinese). Shenyang: Liaoning University Press, 2001. 17–71

    Google Scholar 

  19. Xu G, Chen Y, Tazawa M, et al. Influenc of dielectric properties of a substrate upon plasmon resonance spectrum of supported Ag nanoparticles. Appl Phys Lett, 2006, 88: 043114-1–043114-3

    Google Scholar 

  20. Houng B. Tin doped indium oxide transparent conducting thin films containing silver nanoparticles by sol-gel technique. Appl Phys Lett, 2005, 87: 251922-1–251922-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wang P H, Cai Q, Wang L, et al. Application of effective medium theories to Ag-MgF2 granular film (in Chinese). J Vac Sci Technol, 2003, 23: 413–416

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wang L, Cai Q, Wang P H, et al. Size effect of Ag nanoparticles in Ag-MgF2 Cermet films (in Chinese). J Vac Sci Technol, 2003, 23: 319–322

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kelly K L, Coronado E, Zhao L L, et al. The optical properties of metal nanoparticles: The influence of size, shape, and dielectric environment. J Phys Chem B, 2003, 107: 668–677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hövel H, Fritz S, Hilger A, et al. Width of cluster plasmon resonances: Bulk dielectric functions and chemical interface damping. Phys Rev B, 1993, 48: 18178–18188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Henglein, Meisel D. Spectrophotometric observations of the adsorption of organosulfur compounds on colloidal silver nanoparticles. J Phys Chem B, 1998, 102: 8364–8366

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics and Material Science, Anhui University, Hefei, 230039, China

    Lei Xiao, XuePing Song, FanMing Meng & ZhaoQi Sun

  2. School of Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China

    ChunBin Cao

  3. Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Acquisition and Manipulation, Ministry of Education, Hefei, 230039, China

    Lei Xiao, ChunBin Cao, XuePing Song, FanMing Meng & ZhaoQi Sun

Authors
  1. Lei Xiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. ChunBin Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. XuePing Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. FanMing Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. ZhaoQi Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to ZhaoQi Sun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xiao, L., Cao, C., Song, X. et al. Microstructure and optical properties of nano Ag-ITO films. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 53, 1266–1270 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-0151-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-0151-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation