Technology Description
This technology is an aqueous solution deposition process for making high quality thin films of tin oxide, tin antimony oxide, and doped compositions of both. Films made by these methods are extremely smooth, highly transparent, and can be made at variable thicknesses from several nanometers up to a micron. The electrical and optical properties of these solution-deposited films are comparable or better than similar films deposited by sputtering.
Features & Benefits
The current state of the art for producing conductive oxide thin films, including oxides of tin and antimony, is sputtering. These technique is expensive, requiring a vacuum chamber, and it is difficult to reproducibly make high quality films covering a large surface area (i.e., large displays, solar panels, electrochromic windows, etc.). Also, because the technique is conformal, it is increasingly difficult to produce high quality films as the thickness increases. So there is a need for a way to make high quality thin films over a large area substrate without the use of a vacuum chamber. This solution deposition method provides a viable alternative.
Patent pending