Transparent Conductive Metal Thin‐Film Electrodes Structured by Direct Laser Interference Patterning

Abstract

Thin, transparent silver films sandwiched between dielectric layers are a versatile and high performance transparent electrode technology. Using direct laser interference patterning (DLIP), we are able to structure thin metal films by direct ablation in a fast, single step process. To achieve beneficial pattern and ablation properties, different sublayers of MoOx, Au, Al, Cr, or organics below the silver film and different laser power densities and pulse numbers are investigated. The resulting hexagonally periodic array of apertures shows improved transmittance and sheet resistance. For the best parameter set, the silver network contains little superfluous material at the joints and benefits from partial recrystallization, improving the conductivity. The nanostructured thin‐films have great potential to be combined with dielectric antireflection layers as transparent electrode for any thin‐film optoelectronic devices.

Optically Transparent and Highly Conductive Electrodes for Acousto-Optical Devices

“…Based on the literature data [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ], Figure 2 plots of the technological limitations of various approaches to forming grooves in transparent materials or directly forming conductors on the substrate surface. The markers show the values of the width and depth of the groove’s or line’s height, obtained from the literature sources, and the lines show the t...…”

Materials for Transparent Electrodes: From Metal Oxides to Organic Alternatives

“…Ohm sq -1 sheet resistance (FoM: 615 to 750), respectively. [90] A top down method for the fabrication of micro structured metal electrodes consists in the patterning of thin metal films using three beam direct laser interference patterning [92] . With this technique Al electrodes with sheet resistance of 25 Ohm sq -1 to 50 Ohm sq -1 at 81 % transmittance (FoM:35 to 70) were obtained (see Figure 9c).…”

Emerging Novel Metal Electrodes for Photovoltaic Applications

“…Meanwhile, the maskless fabrication of metal mesh can be achieved by either selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle film for the formation of conductive wires and removing the nanoparticles without sintering, [316][317][318][319] or selective ablation of metal film by pulsed laser. [320][321][322] Through eliminating the coffee ring effects, the direct printing of metal conductive ink lines on flexible substrate through an inkjet-printing process has also been demonstrated for the fabrication of conductive metal mesh. [323][324][325] Besides metal NPs, the metal NWs with high aspect ratio can also be used for the building blocks for the self-assembly of conductive and transparent metal mesh.…”

“…As shown in Figure b–e, the morphology and geometry of the Ag NP comprised metal mesh can be varied through changing mircropatterned substrate and the concentration of Ag NPs, which will determine the optical and electrical properties of the Ag mesh. Meanwhile, the maskless fabrication of metal mesh can be achieved by either selective laser sintering of metal nanoparticle film for the formation of conductive wires and removing the nanoparticles without sintering, or selective ablation of metal film by pulsed laser . Through eliminating the coffee ring effects, the direct printing of metal conductive ink lines on flexible substrate through an inkjet‐printing process has also been demonstrated for the fabrication of conductive metal mesh …”