RF MAGNETRON-SPUTTERED INDIUM TIN OXIDE FILM ON A REACTIVELY ION-ETCHED ACRYLIC SUBSTRATE

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited onto acrylic substrates with r.f. magnetron sputtering. The substrate temperature was kept below 65-degrees-C and the sputtering power was 18 W to prevent the acrylic from deformation. The adhesion strength of the ITO film on acrylic is improved by reactive ion etching (RIE) of the substrate. However, the transmission of the ITO on RIE-treated acrylic is smaller than that of the ITO on as-received acrylic. A transmission of about 83% is obtained for this low temperature, low power processed ITO film. Both the absorption coefficient and the transition energy gap are evaluated. The figure of merit of films on acrylic substrates ranges from 11.4 to 38.6 x 10(-3) OMEGA-1.