Patent ID: 8551370

Claim:
An oxide sintered body consisting essentially of zinc, tin and oxygen, characterized by containing tin at an atomic number ratio, Sn/(Zn+Sn), of 0.23 to 0.50, and wherein the oxide sintered body contains a zinc stannate compound, wherein the zinc stannate compound includes at least one selected from the group consisting of Zn 2 SnO 4 having a tin element as solid solution at the Zn site thereof, and Zn 2 SnO 4 with a non-stoichiometric composition having a ratio of Sn/(Zn+Sn) that is a little deviated from that of Zn 2 SnO 4 , and wherein the oxide sintered body does not contain a detectable amount, by EPMA analysis, of a tin oxide crystal phase or a tin oxide crystal phase having zinc as a solid solution.