Fabrication and patterning surface conductive porous glass

Electro-conductive indium tin oxide coatings have been deposited on porous glass without significant reduction in the porosity or transparency of the substrate. Typical films are similar to 3 mu m thickness with a sheet resistance of 1.0 k Omega and a light transmittance of > 85% in the 400 to 1200 nm region. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction show that the films are crystalline with particle size of about 20 nm. Patterning conductive regions has been demonstrated by photopatterning a photoresist onto the indium tin oxide film and acid-etching of the unprotected region.