Mechanical properties of ITO/PET thin film deposited by DC MG method

Abstract

The ITO film was deposited onto the PET substrate at room temperature by the inclination opposite target type DC magnetron sputtering equipment. An indium tin alloy (In/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (90 wt%) + SnO/sub 2/ (10 wt%)) target was used. The total sputtering pressure was varied from 2.6/spl times/10/sup -1/ to 8.3/spl times/10/sup -1/ Pa. The experimental result showed that the ITO film produced at room temperature had microstructure in which an X-ray diffraction peak is not clear, regardless of the total sputtering pressure. All the film showed a high optical transmittance. The ITO films prepared at low pressure gave low electrical resistivity. The elastic modulus and hardness of ITO films on various total sputtering pressures was increased with decreasing the total sputtering pressure and this tendency was similar to the change in electrical resistivity with decreasing the total sputtering pressure.