Patent ID: 7976738

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, wherein the oxide sintered body contains a zinc oxide phase and a zinc stannate compound phase, wherein the zinc oxide phase is present in the largest amount; and said zinc stannate compound phase includes at least one kind of zinc stannate compound selected from the group consisting of Zn 2 SnO 4 ; a zinc stannate compound having a tin element as solid solution at the Zn site thereof; a zinc stannate compound introduced with oxygen deficit thereof; and a zinc stannate compound 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.