Excimer laser sintering of indium tin oxide nanoparticles for fabricating thin films of variable thickness on flexible substrates

摘要: Abstract Technology to fabricate electrically-conducting, transparent thin-film patterns on flexible substrates has possible applications in electronics. In this work, a pulsed-laser sintering process applicable indium tin oxide (ITO) fabrication substrate without thermal damage the was developed. A nanosecond pulsed laser used minimize penetration into and control thickness of sintered layer. ITO nanoparticles (NPs) ~ 20 nm diameter were lower temperature by exploiting their low melting point. thin film fabricated first spin coating NPs onto surface, then them using KrF excimer laser. The films characterized field emission scanning electron microscopy. electrical resistivity transparency measured varying parameters. single pulse could generate polycrystalline structure (average grain size ~ 200 nm), reducing factor ~ 1000. led minimum 1.1 × 10 − 4  Ω·m losing film. layer be varied up 150 nm adjusting fluence. Because estimated depth less than 200 nm, no observed substrate. This work suggests that proposed process, combined with various particle deposition methods, can an effective tool form substrates.