Preparation, Microstructure And Photoelectrical Properties Of Ag/ITO/Ag Multilayer Films

Due to their unique photoelectrical properties, transflective and highly conductive Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films, composed of hihly reflective and conductive metal Ag and transparent conductive materials of ITO, could be widely studied for both theoretical and practical significance. Transflective LCD technology, which employs this kind of multilayer films as a lower-electrode material, will be improve transflective LCD monitor performance.In this paper, transflective and highly conductive Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films were prepared. The structure of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer film contain surface layer Ag film, interlayer ITO film and underlayer Ag film.The thickness of surface Ag layer have an effect on microstructure, surface morphology and photoelectric characteristics of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films. Using efficiency factor and light splitting ratio evaluate photoelectrical properties of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films.The main innovations of this paper:1. The sandwich structure of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer film composed of two Ag layer and a layer of ITO. This structure could be improving electrical conductivity and reflectivity of multilayer film, form the excellent photoelectric performance of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films. The multilayer film employ as a lower-electrode material, improving properties of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films.2. Ag/ITO/Glass and ITO/Ag/Glass composite films were prepared by magnetron sputtering. Microstructure and photoelectrical properties of Ag/ITO/Glass and ITO/Ag/Glass composite films were comparative studied.The main contents of this paper:1. The underlayer Ag films were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering. The thickness of underlayer Ag film was 9.3nm. The structure, thickness and photoelectrical properties of underlayer Ag film investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer and four-point probe meter.2. Ag/ITO/Glass and ITO/Ag/Glass composite films were prepared by DC and RF magnetron sputtering. The microstructure and photoelectrical properties of Ag/ITO/Glass and ITO/Ag/Glass films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer and four-point probe meter.3. Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films with different thickness of Ag upper layer were prepared. According to XRD results, the intensity of Ag(111) diffraction peak increased and the crystalline size increased with increasing Ag upper layer thickness.4. The photoelectrical properties of Ag/ITO/Ag multilayer films were studied by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. With the increase of Ag surface layer thickness, their average transmittance first increased then decreased. The sample of Ag3/ITO/Ag multilayer films exhibited the highest average transmittance of 56.51%. Their average reflectance increased. The absorption of multilayer films first increased then decreased. The electrical properties suggest the sheet resistance of multilayer films first decreased then increased with the increase of Ag surface layer thickness. The sample of Ag3/ITO/Ag multilayer film had the lowest sheet resistance (6.7Ω/□).5. According to efficiency factor and light splitting ratio, the efficiency factor of multilayer films first increased then decreased with the increasing of Ag surface layer thickness. The sample of Ag3/ITO/Ag multilayer film had the highest efficiency factor (240.72 (Ω/□)-1), the largest utilization ratio of light and the lowest power comsumption. The light splitting ratio of multilayer films first increased a little then decreased with the increasing of Ag surface layer thickness.