Improved TCO materials for the next generation transparent electronics and their complex investigation by wide range ellipsometry from UV to Mid IR

PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0446 , contract : 12/5.10.2011

The main objective of the project is to obtain n and p type materials with high TCO characteristics (gap, conductivity and transmittance) very stable in time.

More specifically, the project aims at two main objectives:

(a) to investigate ways of improving the performance of classical (as ITO, ZnO), of modern (as Nb/V doped TiO₂) and of up to date materials (as SrCu₂O₂) by controlling the morphology, doping and surface stabilization and

(b) to obtain TCO materials with p-type conductivity

The project will achieve its scientific scope by exploring three research areas with several objectives:

I. Preparation of high conductive classical TCO materials based on ITO and ZnO by reactive sputtering will be done in collaboration with the Dr. Mircea Modreanu from Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Ireland and the team from FORTH-IESL, Crete, Greece:

•           Deposition of ITO films on two types of Silicon substrate [Si(100) and Si(111)]

•           Thermal treatment of these samples in N₂ atmosphere

•           Optical and electrical characterization of the films (XRD, XPS, TEM, AFM, SE)

•           Stability study of samples in time and the optimization routes regarding chemical and physical stabilization of the sample surfaces

II. Preparation of high conductivity TCO materials by low-cost sol-gel method:

•           Based on ITO and ZnO (n and p-type conduction)

•           Based on Nb/V doped TiO₂

•           Optical and electrical characterization of the films

III. Obtaining up-to date high conductivity TCO materials prepared by reactive sputtering and sol-gel method:

•           Based on SrCu₂O₂

•           Comparative study of main TCO characteristics for the three material types synthesized in the present project (ITO, ZnO and TiO₂:Nb/V)

•           Solar-cell application with the best films obtained in the frame of this project

We intend to set up a data base for optical constants of TCO studied materials in IR range (2-33µm) which for the moment is lacking in the literature.