PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF CADMIUM-TIN OXIDE-FILMS DEPOSITED BY DC REACTIVE SPUTTERING

Transparent conducting films of cadmium-tin oxide were prepared by d.c. reactive sputtering from a CdSn alloy target in an ArO2 atmosphere. The electrical and optical properties of the films were found to depend on the oxygen concentration in the gas mixture. The lowest resistivity obtained was 4 × 10-4 Ω cm and the average optical transmission was 90% over the visible region. The structure of the films was examined by X-ray diffraction. The thick films exhibited CdSnO3 (200) or Cd2SnO4 (001) and (130) peaks but most of the thin films were amorphous. The post-deposition annealing of the films in an argon atmosphere affected their electrical and optical properties. © 1979.