Amorphous semiconducting and conducting transparent metal oxide thin films and production thereof
View Patent ↗Metal oxide thin films and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a metal oxide thin film may comprise introducing at least two metallic elements and oxygen into a process chamber to form a metal oxide. The method may also comprise depositing the metal oxide on a substrate in the process chamber. The method may also comprise simultaneously controlling a ratio of the at least two metallic elements and a stoichiometry of the oxygen during deposition. Exemplary amorphous metal oxide thin films produced according to the methods herein may exhibit highly transparent properties, highly conductive properties, and/or other opto-electronic properties.
1. A mixed metal oxide thin film, comprising indium and zinc and oxygen, and having a coating with a refractive index less than about 2.1 and a conductivity greater than about 800 S/cm.
2. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a conductivity greater than 1000 S/cm.
3. A thin film of claim 1 wherein the further comprising a conductivity greater than 1500 S/cm.
4. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a conductivity greater than about 2000 S/cm.
5. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a conductivity greater than about 2500 S/cm.
6. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising an amorphous coating.
7. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a crystalline coating.
8. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a Zn percentage between 20 and 80%.
9. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a Zn percentage between 40 and 60%.
10. A thin film of claim 1 wherein absorption for about an 120 nm thickness coating is less than about 5% at 500 nm wavelength of light.
11. A thin film of claim 1 wherein absorption for about an 120 nm thickness coating is less than about 3% at 500 nm wavelength of light.
12. A thin film of claim 1 wherein absorption for about an 120 nm thickness coating is less than about 2% at 500 nm wavelength of light.
13. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a mobility greater than about 8 cm 2 /V-s.
14. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a mobility greater than about 20.
15. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a mobility greater than about 30.
16. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising a mobility greater than about 40.
17. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising an electron carrier concentration greater than about 1.5e20 electrons/cm 3 .
18. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising an electron carrier concentration greater than 3e20.
19. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising an electron carrier concentration greater than 5e20.
20. A thin film of claim 1 further comprising an electron carrier concentration greater than 7e20.
21. A mixed metal oxide thin film, comprising indium and zinc and oxygen, having a conductivity greater than about 800 S/cm, and an absorption coefficient α is less than about 1.0×10 4 cm −1 .
22. A thin film of claim 21 wherein the absorption coefficient α is less than about 0.5×10 4 cm −1 .
23. A thin film of claim 21 wherein the absorption coefficient α is less than about 0.3×10 4 cm −1 .
24. A thin film of claim 21 wherein the absorption coefficient α is less than about 0.2×10 4 cm −1 .
25. A thin film of claim 21 further comprising the conductivity selected from at least one of the following: >1000 S/cm, >1500 S/cm, >2000 S/cm, and >2500 S/cm.
26. A thin film of claim 21 further comprising a mobility selected from at least one of the following: >8, >20, >30, and >40.
27. A thin film of claim 21 further comprising a refractive index less than about 2.1.
28. A thin film of claim 21 further comprising an electron carrier concentration from at least one of the following: >1.5E20, >3.0E20, >5.0E20 and >7E20.