New type of a transparent conductive nanostructured thin film for photonic devices

Electrochemical technologies have high potential for photonic devices because of its cheapness and simplicity, easy to scaling to large substrates and low temperature nature. However, for the most technologies the oxide films should be placed on transparent conductive substrate, usually ITO on glass. For dielectric substrates like glasses a special technology of current control is applied to anodizing metal films, which change the oxide porous structure on final stage and prevent the metal island formation. To transform the residual metal nanowires into oxide special fading process similar to anoding bonding can be done. Usually high reactivity electrolytes are used in anodizing process, which destroy ITO layers. We analyze chemical of ITO in different anodizing electrolytes and find some suitable reagents and compositions. A lot of functional layers can be created by anodizing. For example, different filters may be formed by filling the pores by ink jet printing. Porous oxides can have low refractive indexes — lover than any bulk material, and can be used as effective antireflective cover. Titanium oxide cover film forms “self cleaning” surface due its semiconductor photonics properties and oxygen producing.