Fabrication of highly transparent self-switching diodes using single layer indium tin oxide

The fabrication of a self-switching diode (SSD) from a single layer of n-type indium tin oxide [In₂O₃:Sn (ITO)] is reported. The material was grown using reactive thermal evaporation and nanostructured using a focused ion beam. The resultant device demonstrates strong current rectification, as well as a high threshold and breakdown voltage, owing to the higher density of states associated with the material, when compared to other reported SSD-device material. It is shown that this work could potentially lead to a range of new transparent devices based on ITO, without the need to develop high quality p-type material.