**Pulsed Laser Deposition of ITO: From Films to Nanostructures Pulsed Laser Deposition of ITO: From Films to Nanostructures**

Seong Shan Yap, Thian Khok Yong, Chen Hon Nee and Teck Yong Tou Seong Shan Yap, Thian Khok Yong, Chen Hon Nee and Teck Yong Tou Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/65897

### **Abstract**

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84 Applications of Laser Ablation - Thin Film Deposition, Nanomaterial Synthesis and Surface Modification

A Math. Gen. 2003; 36: 9119–9131. doi:10.1088/0305-4470/36/35/301

2012; 86: 035442. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.86.035442

187001. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.187001

10.1103/PhysRevB.58.2788

RevB.84.224521

doi:10.1063/1.353266

Indium-tin oxide (ITO) films have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) to achieve low resistivity and high transmittance in visible region. Important parameters governing the growth of ITO films, which include laser wavelength, substrate temperature, and the background gas pressure, are discussed. By utilizing the energetic plasma in laser ablation of an ITO target, relatively low substrate temperature growth has been demonstrated. Room temperature deposition enables ITO films to be deposited on the polymer substrate. In addition, deposition in different background gases promotes the catalyst-free growth of nanostructured ITO films. In particular, deposition in Ar or He at optimized pressures enables the growth of highly crystalline ITO nanostructures, which include nanorods and nanowires due to the self-catalyzed growth from the plasma plume. The conditions which allow the pulsed laser deposition of ITO thin films and the growth of nanostructured ITO are reviewed and discussed.

**Keywords:** pulsed laser deposition, ITO, nanostructures, nanowires, nanorods, TCO
