Evolution of water vapor from indium-tin-oxide transparent conducting films fabricated by dip coating process

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry Vol. 77; no. 3; pp. 751 - 757
• Main Authors: SAWADA, Y, SEKI, S, SANO, M, MIYABAYASHI, N, NINOMIYA, K, IWASAWA, A, TSUGOSHI, T, OZAO, R, NISHIMOTO, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 2004
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Other topics in materials science; Physics; Thin films; Transparent thin film; TDS; EGA. indium oxide; Gas release; Steam; Thermodesorption; TPD; Gas analysis; Thermal analysis; Dip coating; Tin Indium Oxides
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926
• DOI: 10.1023/B:JTAN.0000041654.30854.2f

Tin-doped indium oxide In2O3 (indium-tin-oxide) transparent conducting films were fabricated on silicon substrates by a dip coating process. The thermal analysis of the ITO films was executed by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) or thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) in high vacuum. Gas evolution from the ITO film mainly consisted of water vapor. The total amount of evolved water vapor increased on increasing the film thickness from approx. 25 to 250 nm and decreased by increasing the preparation temperature from 365 to 600DGC and by annealing at the same temperature for extra 10 h. The evolution occurred via two steps; the peak temperatures for 250 nm thick films were approx. 100-120 and 205-215DGC. The 25 nm thick films evolved water vapor at much higher temperatures; a shoulder at approx. 150-165DGC and a peak at approx. 242DGC were observed. The evolution temperatures increased by increasing the preparation and the annealing temperatures except in case of the second peak of the 25 nm thick films. The evolution of water vapor at high temperature was tentatively attributed to thermal decomposition of indium hydroxide, In(OH)3, formed on the surface of the nm-sized ITO particles.