Query: TRANSPARENT CONDUCTING OXIDE FILMS FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS: A REVIEW

Candidate papers:

abstract: Abstract This review encompasses properties and applications of polycrystalline or amorphous, Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCO) semiconductors. Coexistence of electrical conductivity and optical transparency in TCO depends on the nature, number and atomic arrangements of metal cations in oxides, on the resident morphology and presence of intrinsic or introduced defects. Therefore, TCO semiconductors that are impurity doped as well as the ternary compounds and multi component oxides consisting of combinations are discussed. Expanding use of TCO is endangered by scarcity, cost of In, fragility of glass, limited transparency to visible light, instability above >200 degC, non flexible for application of flexible solar cell; thus driving search for alternatives such as graphene or CNT, that are more stable under acidic, alkaline, oxidizing, reducing and elevated temperature. There are reasons to conclude that there is need to develop large area deposition techniques to produce TCO films with high deposition rate. TCOs are mostly n type semiconductors, but p type are also being researched
author_names: Rakesh A Afre

Nallin Sharma

Maheshwar Sharon

Madhuri Sharon
title: Transparent Conducting Oxide Films for Various Applications: A Review
year: 2018

abstract: Due to its exceptional electrical, optical, chemical and magnetic properties, tin oxide (SnO and SnO2) which is a functional material, has gained enormous attention for use in a variety of applications. Films of SnOX have a direct band gap between the ranges of 2.2 and 3.6 eV, with these films finding usefulness in various functions such as solar cells, transparent conducting oxides for gas sensors, lithium ion batteries and microelectronics, and use in the optoelectronics industries. In order to satisfy the needs of a broad range of these applications, thin films with an extensive properties span defined by film composition, thickness, structural properties and morphology are required. This article explains the theory and research status of the various manufacturing processes of tin oxide. The purpose is to analyze the effects of the thin films through distinct forms of deposition. The general finding summarized in this research on SnOX showed that various researchers studied specific characteristics of tin oxide properties restricted by experimental conditions.
author_names: Emeka Charles Nwanna

Patrick Ehi Imoisili

Tien-Chien Jen
title: Fabrication and synthesis of SnOX thin films: a review
year: 2020

abstract: The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as transparent conducting films is one of the most promising aspects of CNT based applications due to their high electrical conductivity, transparency, and flexibility. However, despite many efforts in this field, the conductivity of carbon nanotube network films at high transmittance is still not sufficient to replace the present electrodes, indium tin oxide (ITO) due to the contact resistances and semi conducting nanotubes of the nanotube network films. Many studies have attempted to overcome such problems by the chemical doping and hybridization of conducting guest components by various methods, including acid treatment, deposition of metal nanoparticles, and the creation of a composite of conducting polymers. This review focuses on recent advances in surface modified carbon nanotube networks for transparent conducting film applications. Fabrication methods will be described, and the stability of carbon nanotube network films prepared by various methods will be demonstrated.
author_names: Seung Bo Yang

Byung-Seon Kong

D Jung

Youn-Kyoung Baek

Chang-Soo Han

Sang-keun Oh

Hee-Tae Jung
title: Recent advances in hybrids of carbon nanotube network films and nanomaterials for their potential applications as transparent conducting films.
venue: Nanoscale
year: 2011

abstract: Thin films of transparent conducting oxides (TCO) are technologically important for applications as a visible light transparent electrode in a wide variety of optoelectronic devices. In the last few years, researchers started to explore novel size and shape dependent properties of TCO, where the crystallite size is ~10 nm. So far, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of TCO nanocrystals (NCs) have been found to be the most interesting. TCOs like Sn doped In2O3, Al doped ZnO and In doped CdO NCs, exhibit LSPR band in near to mid infrared region. LSPR from a TCO NC exhibits many intrinsic differences with that of a metal NC. Carrier density in a TCO NC can easily be tuned by controlling the dopant concentration, which allows the LSPR band to be tuned over a range of ~2000 nm ~0.62 eV) in the near to mid infrared region. This review discusses recent advances in the understanding of plasmonic properties of various TCO NCs and highlights the potential applications of such unique plasmonic properties.
author_names: Bharat Tandon

Aswathi Ashok

Angshuman Nag
title: Colloidal transparent conducting oxide nanocrystals: A new infrared plasmonic material
year: 2015

abstract: Recent research papers for zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films prepared by dip coating method are reviewed. The aim is on the factors affecting the properties of ZnO thin films prepared by dip coating method and the preparation of ZnO solution precursor using sol gel process. Several of journals have been discovered to find out the related study on this topic. It was found that solution chemical equilibrium, substrate and thermal processing are the factors that contribute to the various properties of ZnO thin films. This review hopefully can help in improving the properties of ZnO thin film for possible applications to photoconductor, integrated sensor, transparent conducting oxide electrodes, optoelectronic devices and so on.
author_names: M F Malek

Mohamad Hafiz Mamat

Mohamed Zahidi Musa

Mohd Zainizan Sahdan

Mohamad Rusop Mahmood
title: Factors Affecting the Properties of Zinc Oxide Thin Films Prepared by Dip Coating Method: A Review
year: 2013

abstract: Abstract Graphene has been recognised for its various excellent properties and its potential to be applied in various applications such as transparent conducting films (TCF) optoelectronic devices and energy storage. Graphene has been successfully synthesised by various methods including chemical vapour deposition (CVD) exfoliation and solution processed. As synthesised graphene has been used in various applications and its potentials have been realised. However, graphene performance has been compromised due to various factors. In this review, we present the methods to improve graphene performance by doping, enhancement of transfer methods and hybrid films of graphene with other materials. In addition, graphene as TCF for photovoltaic applications has also been described. We also include a discussion on various Figure of Merit (FOM) determinations, to evaluate the performance of graphene as transparent conducting films.
author_names: Nurul Nazli Rosli

Mohd Adib Ibrahim

Norasikin Ahmad Ludin

Mohd Asri Mat Teridi

Kamaruzzaman Sopian
title: A review of graphene based transparent conducting films for use in solar photovoltaic applications
year: 2019

abstract: This article reviews and summarizes work recently performed in this laboratory on the synthesis of advanced transparent conducting oxide nanopowders by the use of plasma. The nanopowders thus synthesized include indium tin oxide (ITO) zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin doped zinc oxide (TZO) aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) and indium doped zinc oxide (IZO) These oxides have excellent transparent conducting properties, among other useful characteristics. ZnO and TZO also has photocatalytic properties. The synthesis of these materials started with the selection of the suitable precursors, which were injected into a non transferred thermal plasma and vaporized followed by vapor phase reactions to form nanosized oxide particles. The products were analyzed by the use of various advanced instrumental analysis techniques, and their useful properties were tested by different appropriate methods. The thermal plasma process showed a considerable potential as an efficient technique for synthesizing oxide nanopowders. This process is also suitable for large scale production of nano sized powders owing to the availability of high temperatures for volatilizing reactants rapidly, followed by vapor phase reactions and rapid quenching to yield nano sized powder.
author_names: Hong Yong Sohn

Arun Murali
title: Plasma Synthesis of Advanced Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Applications as Transparent Conducting Oxide Thin Films
venue: Molecules
year: 2021

abstract: Abstract Electrochromic devices (ECD) show reversible color change under applied electric field and are predicted to become indispensable in many applications such as low power displays, smart windows to develop energy saving buildings as well as light adapting mirrors in high end cars and aircrafts. Despite the assiduous research work, ECD faces several challenges for practical usage including delamination, durability, lifetime and their integration into multifunctional devices. To improve the performance, different techniques have already been used to deposit single layered thin film, or a stack of promising EC layers on several substrates including transparent conductive oxides (TCO) coated glass and different conducting polymers. These layers can be flat enough or have a definite shape or structure to satisfy the needs of the designed device. Based on their low resistivity and high transparency, fluorine and indium doped tin oxides (FTO, ITO) are mostly used as TCOs whereas polyaniline, polypyrrole and ethylenedioxythiophene are the trending future polymers. In this review, the critical parameters of magnetron sputtering are delineated for the deposited tungsten oxide (WO3) films focused on ITO and FTO layered glass. The main focus of interest is to highlight the recent progress and future trends in this technique, structure introduced with sputtered electrochromic film and their carefully review along with effect of altering these parameters on physical, optical, electrochemical, durability and thus overall performance of the ECD. Finally, it will be intended to underline the future perspectives in realizing smart EC devices with various factual characteristics.
author_names: Ahmar Mehmood

Xueyuan Long

Azhar Ali Haidry

Xiaogang Zhang
title: Trends in sputter deposited tungsten oxide structures for electrochromic applications: A review
year: 2020

abstract: Abstract Here we present an in depth atomic force microscopy study of aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films utilizing various modes (topology, phase and error signal) together with image processing techniques including skew, kurtosis, entropy, autocorrelation and fractal analysis. Fractal dimension has been calculated via cube counting, triangulation, power spectrum and partitioning methods. A correlation has been found between the micromorphological properties and the functional properties of the AZO transparent conducting oxide when annealed at different temperatures. Structural, electrical, morphological and optical properties of AZO thin films were investigated by XRD, 4 Point probe, AFM and UV VIS spectroscopy. The results indicate that the AZO thin film properties are affected by substrate temperature. An optimum figure of merit of 1.518 x 10 3 O 1 is obtained for a substrate temperature of 150 degC It is expected that this work can provide a novel approach towards optimization of transparent conducting oxides, in particular with regards to plasmonics.
author_names: Payam Rajabi Kalvani

Alireza Jahangiri

Samaneh Shapouri

Amir Hossein Sari

Yousef Seyed Jalili
title: Multimode AFM analysis of aluminum doped zinc oxide thin films sputtered under various substrate temperatures for optoelectronic applications
venue: Superlattices and Microstructures
year: 2019

abstract: Abstract The oxides and their interplay with metals are of central importance in solar energy, solar cells and environmental as well as in technological applications. Doping of Mg and Al into ZnO offers an interesting way to alter various electronic, optical and structural properties. In this work, Mg doped (Zn0.98Al0.02O) films with different Mg concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4 and 6% were grown by spray pyrolysis technique and characterized by X ray diffraction (XRD) UV/VIS optical transmission spectroscopy and electrical measurement. XRD analysis of all samples indicates the presence of hexagonal crystal structure with a preferred orientation of the crystallites along the [002] direction perpendicular to the substrate and the absence of any other secondary phase. All samples exhibited interference fringe patterns in the visible region of transmittance spectra with an average transmission of >60% indicating a good optical quality of the deposited films. The optical studies demonstrate also that Mg doping induces an increase of the band gap energy. The dark electrical resistivity decreases with increasing Mg doping amount due to the increase of the grain size and the low electronegativity of Mg2+ than Zn2+
author_names: Ouiame Karzazi

Lahcen Soussi

Ahmed Louardi

Abderrahim El Bachiri

Mohammed S Khaidar

Mohamade Monkade

Hassane Erguig

M Abu Taleb
title: Transparent conducting properties of Mg and Al co doped ZnO thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique
venue: Superlattices and Microstructures
year: 2019