US5470618A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making zinc-based transparent conductive film
Assignee: Soken Inc
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Filing: 1994-07-14
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Granted: 1995-11-28
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Expires: 2014-07-14
Abstract
Abstract A zinc oxide-based transparent conductive film containing of gallium or indium and having a resistivity of not more than 10 -3 Ω.cm is provided by evaporating a source of zinc oxide containing 0.5 to 5% by weight of gallium oxide or 0.3 to 4.5% by weight of indium oxide and depositing same onto a substrate after activating the vapor of the source by a plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Fumio Ohara
- 👤 Tadashi Hattori
- 👤 Nobuei Ito
- 👤 Yutaka Hattori
- 👤 Masumi Arai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:31
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/08; C23C14/086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A process for forming a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive film, comprising the steps of: arranging a substrate on which the zinc oxide-based film is to be deposited, and an evaporation source substantially composed of zinc oxide containing one of indium oxide and gallium oxide in a vacuum chamber; evacuating the vacuum chamber; evaporating the source to produce evaporated particles; activating the evaporated particles by a plasma excited by a radio frequency power in the range of 20 W to 100 W; and depositing by ion plating the activated evaporated particles onto the substrate by heating the substrate to at least 50° C. to form a transparent zinc oxide-based film doped with one of indium and gallium, the resistivity of which is controlled to be not more than 5×10 -4 Ω.cm by the radio frequency power.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A process for forming a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive film, comprising the steps of: arranging a substrate on which the zinc oxide-based film is to be deposited, and an evaporation source substantially composed of zinc oxide containing one of indium oxide and gallium oxide in a vacuum chamber; evacuating the vacuum chamber; evaporating the source to produce evaporated particles; activating the evaporated particles by a plasma excited by a radio frequency power in the range of 20 W to 100 W; and depositing by ion plating the activated evaporated particles onto the substrate by heating the substrate to at least 50° C. to form a transparent zinc oxide-based film doped with one of indium and gallium, the resistivity of which is controlled to be not more than 5×10 -4 Ω.cm by the radio frequency power.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the source contains 2 to 3 wt % of gallium oxide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said evaporation source is a pellet composed substantially of zinc oxide and gallium oxide having a density of about 4.5 g/cm3.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the source contains 1.5 to 2.5 wt. % of indium oxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the activated evaporated particles are deposited onto the substrate at a rate of between 1.0 to 2.0 Å/sec.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the substrate is between 90° C. and 260° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the atmosphere in the vacuum chamber during the deposition of the activated evaporated particles onto the substrate is argon atmosphere.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5442696A
Cited
US4336120A
Cited
JPS5618672A
Cited
US4526802A
Cited
JPS6196609A
Cited
JPH02297462A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-11-27 | 1999-05-29 | 1999-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-11-27 | 2003-05-29 | 2003-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-11-27 | 2007-05-29 | 2007-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |