Indium doped silver oxide thin films prepared by reactive electron beam evaporation technique: electrical properties

The indium doped silver oxide thin films have been prepared at 275 C on soda lime glass and silicon substrates by reactive electron beam evaporation technique; the deposition rate has been varied (by varying the electron beam current) in the range 0.94–16.88 nm/s keeping the oxygen flow rate constant. These films are polycrystalline. The electrical resistivity for these films decreases with increasing deposition rate. The AIO films prepared with a deposition rate of 5.7 nm/s show near p-type conductivity. The work function has been measured on these films by contact potential method using Kelvin Probe. The surface morphology of the films has been evaluated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The roles of indium doping and oxygen vacancies in the electrical properties of these films have been analyzed; the ionized impurity scattering is the dominant mechanism controlling the electrical conduction in these films.