Method for manufacturing transparent conductive indium-tin oxide layers
First Claim
1. A method for applying a transparent, conductive indium-tin oxide coating on a substate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon which method comprises the steps of:
- providing an unheated substrate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon in an enclosed coating zone;
applying sources of both indium and tin in a first stage onto said substrate while maintaining the substrate unheated and maintaining an oxygen partial pressure at a low level in said zone until a partial coating is built-up on said substrate;
temporarily reducing the oxygen partial pressure in said coating zone in a second stage and maintaining the substrate unheated and continuing the coating until an additinal coating thickness is built-up on said substrate;
continuing coating in a third stage with the oxygen partial pressure the same as during the first stage to complete the coating to a final thickness; and
thereafter heating the coated substrate in an oxygen containing atmosphere at a temperature less than 250°
C.
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Abstract
A method for applying a transparent, conductive indium-tin oxide coating on a substrate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon wherein an unheated substrate of amorphous hydrogen-containing silicon is treated with sources of indium and tin in a first stage while maintaining a low partial pressure of oxygen until a partial coating is built-up, then reducing the oxygen partial pressure in the coating zone in a second stage and continuing the coating until an additional coating thickness is built-up, followed by heating the coated substrate in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature less than 250° C.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for applying a transparent, conductive indium-tin oxide coating on a substate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon which method comprises the steps of:
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providing an unheated substrate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon in an enclosed coating zone; applying sources of both indium and tin in a first stage onto said substrate while maintaining the substrate unheated and maintaining an oxygen partial pressure at a low level in said zone until a partial coating is built-up on said substrate; temporarily reducing the oxygen partial pressure in said coating zone in a second stage and maintaining the substrate unheated and continuing the coating until an additinal coating thickness is built-up on said substrate; continuing coating in a third stage with the oxygen partial pressure the same as during the first stage to complete the coating to a final thickness; and thereafter heating the coated substrate in an oxygen containing atmosphere at a temperature less than 250°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for applying a transparent, conductive indium-tin oxide coating of a desired thickness on a substrate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an unheated substrate of amorphous, hydrogen-containing silicon in an enclosed coating zone; applying sources of both indium and tin in a first stage onto said substrate while introducing and maintaining an oxygen partial pressure at a low level of about 8×
10-4 mbar in said zone until a partial coating is built-up on said substrate;terminating the introduction of oxygen when the coating thickness is about one-third of the desired thickness to reduce the oxygen partial pressure below 1×
10-5 mbar in said coating zone in a second stage and continuing the coating until an additional coating thickness of about one-third of the desired coating is built-up on said substrate;introducing additional oxygen until the partial oxygen pressure is approximately that used in said first stage and continuing the coating until the desired coating thickness is achieved; and thereafter heating the coated substrate in an oxygen containing atmosphere at a temperature less than 250°
C. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification