Investigations on the crystallisation properties of RF magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide thin films

X-Ray diffraction and X-ray texture analysis have been carried out on RF magnetron sputtered ITO (indium tin oxide) thin films on glass substrates in order to understand their crystal growth behaviour. Films deposited at various deposition rates and gas compositions were subjected to investigation. X-Ray diffraction analysis revealed the polycrystalline structure of the films with a difference in crystallographic orientation without any change in the BCC (Body Centred Cubic) structure. Both the increase in deposition rate and gas composition reflects the change in crystallographic orientation. X-Ray texture analysis on the grown films revealed also a difference in film texturization following the change in crystallographic orientation. Strong orientation of crystallites perpendicular to the substrate were observed for films grown with (400) preferential plane.