Transparent and conductive IZO films: Oxygen and discharge voltage controlled sputtering growth and properties

Zinc-doped indium oxide (IZO) film, as an important transparent conductive oxide, has attracted increasing attention in various scientific and engineering areas. In the present work, discharge-voltage and reactive-oxygen controlled IZO films were grown by magnetron sputtering and studied systematically. The microstructure, element distribution and chemical bonding of IZO films were investigated by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optical and electrical properties of IZO films were studied by controlled oxygen and discharge voltage. The typical microstructure of IZO films with optimal optical and electric properties has been characterized. High discharge voltage and matched oxygen vacancies could promote the low resistivity of IZO films, which could be determined by the electronic concentration and mobility. •IZO films were grown at room temperature by two strategies of oxygen and discharge voltage.•Oxygen supply promotes the decreases of oxygen vacancies and Zn content.•More oxygen promotes IZO film with higher transparency and larger bandgap.•Both high discharge voltage and matched oxygen content bring IZO film the superior carrier concentration and mobility.