Structural properties of indium tin oxide thin films by glancing angle deposition method.

We have studied the structural and optical properties of indium tin oxide (ITO) films deposited on sapphire substrates by electron beam evaporator with glancing angle deposition method. The ITO films were grown with different deposition angles of 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees at fixed deposition rate of 3 angstroms/s and with deposition rates of 2 angstroms/s, 3 angstroms/s, and 4angstroms/s at deposition angle of 45 degrees, respectively. From analysis of ellipsometry measurements, it appears that the void fraction of the films increased and their refractive indices decreased from 2.18 to 1.38 at the wavelength of 500 as increasing the deposition angle. The refractive index in the wavelength ranges of 550 nm-800 nm also depends on the deposition rates. Transmittance of ITO film with 235-nm-thickness grown at 60 degrees was covered about 20-80%, and then it was increased in visible wavelength range with increase of deposition angle.