Enhancing electrical conductivity of room temperature deposited Sn-doped In$_2$O$_3$ thin films by hematite seed layers
Hematite Fe$_2$O$_3$ seed layers are shown to constitute a pathway to prepare highly conductive transparent tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films by room temperature magnetron sputtering. Conductivities of up to $σ= 3300\,{\rm S/cm}$ are observed. The improved conductivity is not restricted to the interface but related to an enhanced crystallization of the films, which proceeds in the rhombohedral phase.
cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗