Indium-tin-oxide films prepared by dip coating using an ethanol solution of indium chloride and tin chloride

Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films were deposited successfully by the dip coating process onto Corning 7059 glass substrates using an ethanol solution of indium (III) chloride, InCl3·3.5H2O and tin (II) chloride, SnCl2·2H2O [Sn/(In+Sn), 5 atm.%] with a surfactant, which improved the contact between the glass substrate and the coating solution. Film thickness and the resistivity were investigated as a function of the withdrawal rate and the number of repeated dip coatings. The 10-layer films were annealed in a N2–0.1%H2 atmosphere by which the carrier concentration and the mobility increased; the lowest resistivity obtained was 5.7×10−4 Ω cm (film thickness: 57 nm; carrier concentration: 4.8×1020 cm−3, mobility: 20 cm2 V−1 s−1).