This paper describes the effects of annealing on electric properties and structure of amorphous indium-tin oxide (ITO) films deposited by sputtering at room temperature and with H2O addition. The film resistivity was increased by annealing at 150–200° C; in this temperature range the growth of ITO crystallites dispersed in the amorphous ITO phase was observed. This increased resistivity was found to be due to decreases in both Hall mobility (µ H) and carrier density (n) of the films. Measurements of thermal desorption spectroscopy revealed that two different adsorption states, in terms of H2O molecules which are due to the hydrogen-bonded H2O and OH species, were formed in amorphous ITO films during film deposition and the subsequent annealing process. Factors in the decreases of µ H and n were discussed on the basis of the experimental results obtained.
The dry etching technique for indium tin oxide (ITO) films has been investigated using HBr gas with a conventional parallel-plate-type reactive ion etching apparatus in order to fabricate ITO fine patterns for thin-film transistor addressed liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs). Etching rates of amorphous ITO and poly-ITO were almost the same, unlike the case with ITO wet etching. This demonstrates that the ITO etching rate using HBr gas is independent of the film characteristics. A scanning electron microscopy study of etched ITO films showed that the reaction products were not deposited on the sample surface, although the resist surface was roughened. A1 films, which are the underlayers of ITO films for TFT-LCDs, were not etched by HBr gas only. Therefore, high ITO/A] selectivity can be obtained by HBr gas.
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