Fabrication of Solution Combustion Based Transparent Semiconducting Titanium and Zinc Co-Doped Indium Oxide (ITiZO) Films

Abstract

In this work, solution combustion processed titanium, zinc co-doped indium oxide high transparent semiconducting thin films were demonstrated at annealing temperatures of 300, 350 °C. In the process, low-temperature combustion at 123 °C was verified through thermogravimetric analysis; acetylacetone, 2-methoxyethanol served as fuel and solvent respectively in the redox reaction. Indium titanium zinc oxide (ITiZO) films were developed on glass substrates by spin coating followed by annealing at different temperatures. ITiZO films, powder exhibited high crystallinity exactly matching with indium oxide peaks without forming secondary phases. But, the presence of In, Ti, Zn, and O is clearly visible on film through energy dispersive spectroscopy. Films had transparency more than 85% in the visible range with optical band gap ranging 3.8-3.9 eV. These ITiZO films with smooth and low roughness ranging 0.46-0.5 nm, can have a potential application as an active layer in transparent thin film transistors and optoelectronic devices.