Structural and optical properties of ITO/TiO2 anti-reflective films for solar cell applications

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 175
• Main Authors: Ali, Khuram, Khan, Sohail A, Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer New York 11.04.2014; Springer Nature B.V; BioMed Central Ltd; Springer
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Materials Science; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; TiO; Antireflective films; ITO; Sputtering; Room temperature
• ISSN: 1931-7573; 1556-276X; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-9-175

Indium tin oxide (ITO) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) anti-reflective coatings (ARCs) were deposited on a (100) P-type monocrystalline Si substrate by a radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Polycrystalline ITO and anatase TiO 2 films were obtained at room temperature (RT). The thickness of ITO (60 to 64 nm) and TiO 2 (55 to 60 nm) films was optimized, considering the optical response in the 400- to 1,000-nm wavelength range. The deposited films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The XRD analysis showed preferential orientation along (211) and (222) for ITO and (200) and (211) for TiO 2 films. The XRD analysis showed that crystalline ITO/TiO 2 films could be formed at RT. The crystallite strain measurements showed compressive strain for ITO and TiO 2 films. The measured average optical reflectance was about 12% and 10% for the ITO and TiO 2 ARCs, respectively.