Indium—tin oxide (ITO) applied to optoelectronic devices must meet several requirements simultaneously, i.e. electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and structurability by photolithography. As will be shown, these properties are mainly based on the microstructure of the ITO films. The microstructure changes from amorphous to polycrystalline depending on the oxygen partial pressure in the sputtering ambient and the deposition rate. We investigated the influence of an oxide layer on the target surface, its removal prior to film deposition, and its formation during the sputtering process. The reproducibility of the ITO microstructure and the etching properties are discussed in detail.
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