Low temperature preparation of ITO thin films by the coating solutions containing solvothermally synthesized ITO nanoparticles

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were fabricated by spin-coating the coating solutions containing solvothermally synthesized ITO nanoparticles on glass substrates with subsequent low temperature curing. Characterizations of the solvothermally synthesized nanoparticles confirmed that crystalline nano-sized ITO nanoparticles with crystal grain size between 17 and 20 nm were successfully obtained by solvothermal treatment of the precursor coprecipitates. By dispersing the solvothermally synthesized ITO nanoparticles in methanol, coating solutions containing well dispersed ITO nanoparticles for subsequent ITO thin film coating were prepared. It was demonstrated that the thin films fabricated by spin-coating the ITO nanoparticle coating solutions on glass substrates followed by 413.15 K heat curing under nitrogen atmosphere for 30 min were transparent conductive ITO thin films with a sheet resistance of 1.9 × 105 Ω/□.