Etching of rf magnetron-sputtered indium tin oxide films

Abstract

In this study, the etching of indium tin oxide (ITO) films with various acidic solutions are studied and the activation energies for etching calculated. On the basis of the etching data, a diluent hydrochloric acid is selected for further investigation. The surface morphology of the HCl-etched films are examined. Pinholes resulted from enhanced etching of the grain boundaries are found. Films with larger grains exhibit coarser etched surfaces. The opto-electrical properties of the films are studied and the figure of merits for these films evaluated.