Recent Developments of Nb-doped Anatase TiO₂ Transparent Conductors

Abstract

Recent developments of Nb-doed anatase TiO₂ (TNO) transparent conductors are reported. We have successfully fabricated highly conductive (resistivity : 9.5×10⁻⁴ Ωcm) and visibly transparent (transmittance : 60−80%) TNO polycrystalline films by annealing a sputter-deposited amorphous phase. This is the first step toward the practical use of this material. Transport properties of the annealed films were found to strongly depend on the sputter conditions for growing amorphous ones. Low temperature deposition of reduced amorphous phases seems to be a key for fabricating highly conductive TNO in polycrystalline thin films.