Method of reducing resistance for conductive film formed on base material

• US 6,783,811 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohtsu, Shigemi, Akutsu, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Seidleck, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thao T.
• Application Number:
  US10/013,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 427/558, 427/559, 427/586, 427/350, 427/372.2, 427/109, 427/126.3, 427/160, 427/294, 438/487, 438/486, 438/308, 438/795, 438/798, 428/412
• US Class Current: 427/558
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/58 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate

Abstract

A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film based on simple process at low temperatures, particularly a method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base of plastic resins is provided. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material includes a treating process, in which a conductive film made of metal oxide is formed on a base material and irradiated with UV light in vacuum or in an atmosphere of reducing gas maintaining the temperature between 25° C. and 300° C.

Claims

1. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film made of metal oxide formed on a base material, comprising irradiating the film with UV light in a vacuum or in an atmosphere of reducing gas at a temperature maintained between 25°

C. and 300°

C.

2. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film made of metal oxide formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the conductive film comprises amorphous metal oxide.

3. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphere of reducing gas is an atmosphere of reducing gas containing hydrogen.

4. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide is indium oxide or oxides of other metals containing indium oxide.

5. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide is tin oxide or oxides of other metals containing tin oxide.

6. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide is oxides of other metals containing both indium oxide and tin oxide.

7. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide is zinc oxide or oxides of other metals containing zinc oxide.

8. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the UV light is emitted from an excimer lamp.

9. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the maintained temperature ranges between 50°

C. and 250°

C.

10. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the base material is comprised of a plastic base material and the maintained temperature ranges between 50°

C. and a heat resistant temperature of the plastic base material.

11. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 1, wherein the base material comprises plastic and has a heat resistant temperature ranging between 100°

C. and 230°

C.

12. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 2, wherein the conductive film comprising amorphous metal oxide is formed by a sputtering method.

13. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 2, wherein the conductive film comprising amorphous metal oxide is formed by an electron beam deposition method.

14. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material according to claim 2, wherein the conductive film comprising amorphous metal oxide is formed by an ion plating method.