Abstract
Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are wide band gap degenerated semiconductors popularly used in devices. Most commonly, TCO films are employed as transparent electrodes in flat-panel displays, thin-film solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and electrochromic windows. The development of high-performance optoelectronic devices has stimulated research on TCO films; namely, the improvement of the electrical and/or optical properties of existing TCO materials, the development of alternative TCO materials composed of naturally abundant and low-cost metals, and the development of new multifunctional TCOs that can improve device performance. TCO materials can be binary (In2O3, ZnO, SnO2, CdO, and Ga2O3) or multicomponent (In-Zn-O, Zn-Sn-O, and In-Ga-Zn-O). To develop and refine TCOs, we must understand their electron transport mechanisms and optical properties. The dielectric functions of TCO films can be elucidated by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Moreover, by analyzing the dielectric functions at infrared wavelengths, we can evaluate the optical effective mass and the relaxation time of free electrons in TCO films. From the relationship between effective mass and carrier density, we can determine the curvature of the energy band as a function of Fermi energy, which reveals the fundamental nature of the material. Meanwhile, the relaxation time helps us to understand the dominant scattering mechanism of free carriers in the films and how to improve the film fabrication process. This chapter presents an analytical SE procedure for TCO layers, focusing on high-mobility TCOs and their advantages. The superior electrical transport and optical properties of TCO thin films and solar cells installed with TCO electrodes are also discussed.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
R.L. Weiher, J. Appl. Phys. 33, 2834 (1962)
T. Koida, M. Kondo, J. Appl. Phys. 99, 123703 (2006)
Z. Galazka, K. Irmscher, M. Pietsch, T. Schulz, R. Uecker, D. Klimma, R. Fornaria, Cryst. Eng. Commun. 15, 2220 (2013)
O. Bierwagen, J.S. Speck, Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 072103 (2010)
C.G. Van de Walle, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1012 (2000)
C. Kilic, A. Zunger, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 73 (2002)
S. Lany, A. Zunger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 045501 (2007)
A. Jannotti, C.G. Van de Walle, Phys. Rev. B 76, 165202 (2007)
H. Ohta, M. Orita, M. Hirano, H. Tanji, H. Kawazoe, H. Hosono, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 2740 (2000)
T. Koida, M. Kondo, J. Appl. Phys. 101, 063713 (2007)
S. Ishibashi, Y. Highchi, Y. Ota, K. Nakamura, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 8, 1403 (1990)
Y. Shigesato, Y. Hayashi, T. Haranoh, Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 73 (1992)
Y. Meng, X. Yang, H. Chen, J. Shen, Y. Jiang, Z. Zhang, Z. Hua, Thin Solid Films 394, 218 (2001)
C. Warmsingh, Y. Yoshida, D.W. Readey, C.W. Teplin, J.D. Perkins, P.A. Parilla, L.M. Gedvilas, B.M. Keyes, D.S. Ginley, J. Appl. Phys. 95, 3831 (2004)
T. Koida, M. Kondo, J. Appl. Phys. 101, 063705 (2007)
T. Koida, H. Fujiwara, M. Kondo, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 28, L685 (2007)
P.F. Newhouse, C.-H. Park, D.A. Keszler, J. Tate, P.S. Nyholm, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 112108 (2005)
S. Calnan, A.N. Tiwari, Thin Solid Films 518, 1839 (2010)
Y. Yoshida, D.M. Wood, T.A. Gessert, T.J. Coutts, Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 2097 (2004)
J.E. Medvedeva, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 086401 (2006)
E. Kobayashi, Y. Watabe, T. Yamamoto, Appl. Phy. Expr. 8, 015505 (2015)
J.R. Bellingham, W.A. Phillips, C.J. Adkins, J. Phys. Condens. Matt. 2, 6207 (1990)
S. Ishibashi, Y. Higuchi, Y. Ohta, K. Nakamura, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 8, 1399 (1990)
A. Kaijo, Display Imag. 4, 143 (1996)
T. Minami, T. Kakumu, S. Takata, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 14, 1704 (1996)
K. Utsumi, H. Iigusa, R. Tokumaru, P.K. Song, Y. Shigesato, Thin Solid Films 445, 229 (2003)
H. Nakazawa, Y. Ito, E. Matsumoto, K. Adachi, N. Aoki, Y. Ochiai, J. Appl. Phys. 100, 093706 (2006)
R. Martins, P. Barquinha, A. Pimentel, L. Pereira, E. Fortunato, Phys. Status Solidi A 202, R95 (2005)
B. Yaglioglu, Y.-J. Huang, H.-Y. Yeom, D.C. Paine, Thin Solid Films 496, 89 (2006)
A.J. Leenheer, J.D. Perkins, M.F.A.M. van Hest, J.J. Berry, R.P, O’Hayre, D.S. Ginley, Phys. Rev. B 77, 115215 (2008)
F. Utsuno, H. Inoue, I. Yasui, Y. Shimane, S. Tomai, S. Matsuzaki, K. Inoue, I. Hirosawa, M. Sato, T. Honma, Thin Solid Films 496, 95 (2006)
F. Utsuno, H. Inoue, I. Yasui, Y. Shimane, T. Shibuya, K. Yano, K. Inoue, I. Hirosawa, M. Sato, T. Honma, Thin Solid Films 516, 5818 (2008)
K. Nomura, T. Kamiya, H. Ohta, T. Uruga, M. Hirano, H. Hosono, Phys. Rev. B 75, 035212 (2007)
H. Hosono, N. Kikuchi, N. Ueda, H. Kawazoe, J. Non-Cryst, Solids 198–200, 165 (1996)
J. Robertson, Phys. Stat. Solidi B 245, 1026 (2008)
T. Kamiya, K. Nomura, M. Hirano, H. Hosono, Phys. Stat. Solidi A 206, 860 (2009)
A. Walsh, J.L.F. Da Silva, S.-H Wei, Chem. Mater. 21, 5119 (2009)
R. Martins, P. Almeida, P. Barquinha, L. Pereira, A. Pimentel, I. Ferriera, E. Fortunato, J. Non-Cryst, Solids 352, 1471 (2006)
J.D. Perkins, T. Gennett, J.E. Leisch, R. Sundaramoorthy, I.L. Repins, M.F.A.M. van Hest, D.S. Ginley, 35th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (2010), pp. 989–991
T. Koida, H. Sai, H. Shibata, M. Kondo, The proceedings of AM-FPD 12, in The Nineteenth International Workshop on Active-Matrix Flatpanel Displays and Devices–TFT Technologies and FPD Materials (2012), pp. 45–48
M. Ando, E. Nishimura, K. Onisawa, T. Minemura, J. Appl. Phys. 93, 1032 (2003)
T. Koida, H. Fujiwara, M. Kondo, J. Non-Cryst, Solids 354, 2805 (2008)
T. Koida, H. Shibata, M. Kondo, K. Tsutsumi, A. Sakaguchi, M. Suzuki, H. Fujiwara, J. Appl. Phys. 111, 063721 (2012)
T. Koida, Physica Status Solidi A. 214, 1600464 (2017)
D. Greiner, S.E. Gledhill, Ch. Koble, J. Krammer, R. Klenk, Thin Solid Films 520, 1285 (2011)
P.I. Rovira, R.W. Collins, J. Appl. Phys. 85, 2015 (1999)
R.A. Synowicki, Thin Solid Films 313–314, 394 (1998)
H. Fujiwara, M. Kondo, Phys. Rev. B 71, 075109 (2005)
T. Koida, M. Kondo, K. Tsutsumi, A. Sakaguchi, M. Suzuki, H. Fujiwara, J. Appl. Phys. 107, 033514 (2010)
S. Limpijumnong, P. Reunchan, A. Janotti, C.G. Van de Walle, Phys. Rev. B 80, 193202 (2009)
P.D.C. King, R.L. Lichti, Y.G. Celebi, J.M. Gil, R.C. Vilão, H.V. Alberto, J. Piroto Duarte, D.J. Payne, R.G. Egdell, I. McKenzie, C.F. McConville, S.F.J. Cox, T.D. Veal, Phys. Rev. B 80, 081201 (2009)
S.F.J. Cox, E.A. Davis, S.P. Cottrell, P.J.C. King, J.S. Lord, J.M. Gil, H.V. Alberto, R.C. Vilao, J. Piroto Duarte, N. Ayres de Campos, A. Weidinger, R.L. Lichti, S.J.C. Irvine, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 2601 (2001)
S.F.J. Cox, J.S. Lord, S.P. Cottrell, J.M. Gil, H.V. Alberto, A. Keren, D. Prabhakaran, R. Scheuermann, A. Stoykov, J. Phys. Condens. Matt. 18, 1061 (2006)
W. Yin, K. Smithe, P. Weiser, M. Stavola, W. Beall Fowler, L. Boatner, S.J. Pearton, D.C. Hays, S.G. Koch, Phys. Rev. B 91, 075208 (2015)
C. Battaglia, J. Escarre, K. Soderstrom, L. Erni, L. Ding, G. Bugnon, A. Billet, M. Boccard, L. Barraud, S.D. Wolf, F.-J. Haug, M. Despeisse, C. Ballif, Nano Lett. 11, 661 (2010)
B. Macco, Y. Wu, D. Vanhemel, W.M.M. Kessels, Phys. Status Solidi RRL 8(12), 987 (2014)
R.A. Synowicki, Thin Solid Films 313–314, 394 (1998)
A. Walsh, J.L.F. Da Silva, S.-H. Wei, C. Korber, A. Klein, L.F.J. Piper, A. DeMasi, K.E. Smith, G. Panaccione, P. Torelli, D.J. Payne, A. Bourlange, R.G. Egdell, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 167402 (2008)
F. Fuchs, F. Bechstedt, Phys. Rev. B 77, 155107 (2008)
P.D.C. King, T.D. Veal, F. Fuchs, ChY Wang, D.J. Payne, A. Bourlange, H. Zhang, G.R. Bell, V. Cimalla, O. Ambacher, R.G. Egdell, F. Bechstedt, C.F. McConville, Phys. Rev B 79, 205211 (2009)
SZh Karazhanov, P. Ravindran, P. Vajeeston, A. Ulyashin, T.G. Finstad, H. Fjellvag, Phys. Rev. B 76, 075129 (2007)
J.B. Varley, H. Peelaers, A. Janotti, C.G. Van de Walle, J. Phys, Condens. Matter 23, 334212 (2011)
R. Clanget, Appl. Phys. 2, 247 (1973)
Y. Ohhata, F. Shinoki, S. Yoshida, Thin Solid Films 59, 255 (1979)
T. Pisarkiewicz, K. Zakrzewska, E. Leja, Thin Solid Films 174, 217 (1989)
M. Chen, Z.L. Pei, X. Wang, Y.H. Yu, X.H. Liu, C. Sun, L.S. Wen, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 33, 2538 (2000)
J. Steinhauser, S. Fay, N. Oliveira, E. Vallat-Sauvain, D. Zimin, U. Kroll, C. Ballif, Phys. Stat. Sol. A 205, 1983 (2008)
F. Ruske, A. Pflug, V. Sttinger, B. Szyszka, D. Greiner, B. Rech, Thin Solid Films 518, 1289 (2009)
K. Ellmer, R. Mientus, Thin Solid Films 516, 4620 (2008)
N. Preissler, O. Bierwagen, A.T. Ramu, J.S. Speck, Phys. Rev B 88, 085305 (2013)
T. Koida, H. Fujiwara, M. Kondo, Appl. Phys. Express 1, 041501 (2008)
M. Tanaka, M. Taguchi, T. Matsuyama, T. Sawada, S. Tsuda, S. Nakano, H. Hanafusa, Y. Kuwano, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 31, 3518 (1992)
T. Sawada, N. Terada, S. Tsuge, T. Baba, T. Takahama, K. Wakisaka, S. Tsuda, S. Nakano, in IEEE 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994 on Conference Record of the 24 the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (1994), pp. 1219–1226
L. Barraud, Z.C. Holman, N. Badel, P. Reiss, A. Descoeudres, C. Battaglia, S. De Wolf, C. Ballif, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. C 115, 151 (2013)
M. Taguchi, A. Yano, S. Tohoda, K. Matsuyama, Y. Nakamura, T. Nishiwaki, K. Fujita, E. Maruyama, IEEE J. Photovolt. 4, 96 (2014)
T. Watahiki, T. Furuhata, T. Matsuura, T. Shinagawa, Y. Shirayanagi, T. Morioka, T. Hayashida, Y. Yuda, S. Kano, Y. Sakai, Appl. Phys. Expr. 8, 021402 (2015)
Z.C. Holman, M. Filipic, A. Descoeudres, S. De Wolf, F. Smole, M. Topic, C. Ballif, J. Appl. Phys. 113, 013107 (2013)
X. Wu, J. Zhou, A. Duda, J.C. Keane, T.A. Gessert, Y. Yan, R. Noufi, Prog. Photovolt. 14, 471 (2006)
A.E. Delahoy, L. Chen, M. Akhtar, B. Sang, S. Guo, Sol. Energy 77, 785 (2004)
T. Miyano, R. Hashimoto, Y. Kanda, T. Mise, T. Nakada, in Proceedings of the Technical Digest of 17th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference (2007), p. 806
J.A.A. Selvan, A.E. Delahoy, S. Guo, Y.-M. Li, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 90, 3371 (2006)
C. Battaglia, L. Erni, M. Boccard, L. Barraud, J. Escarre, K. Soderstrom, G. Bugnon, A. Billet, L. Ding, M. Despeisse, F.-J. Haug, S. De Wolf, C. Ballif, J. Appl. Phys. 109, 114501 (2011)
T. Koida, H. Sai, M. Kondo, Thin Solid Films 518, 2930 (2010)
J.W. Bowers, H.M. Upadhyaya, S. Calnan, R. Hashimoto, T. Nakada, A.N. Tiwari, Prog. Photovolt. 17, 265 (2008)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Koida, T. (2018). High-Mobility Transparent Conductive Oxide Layers. In: Fujiwara, H., Collins, R. (eds) Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for Photovoltaics. Springer Series in Optical Sciences, vol 212. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75377-5_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75377-5_19
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75375-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75377-5
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)