# US 8,771,557 B2 · Indium oxide sintered compact, indium oxide transparent conductive film, and manufacturing method of indium oxide transparent conductive film

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- Number: US 8,771,557 B2
- Document ID: US8771557B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/318,172
- Filed: 2010-09-30
- Published: 2012-02-23
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-10-06
- Assignees: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
- Applicants: Hideo Takami; Masakatsu Ikisawa
- Inventors: Hideo Takami; Masakatsu Ikisawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771557B2

## CPC

- H01B 1/08: oxides
- C04B 35/01: based on oxide ceramics
- C04B 35/6261: {Milling}
- C04B 35/6263: {characterised by their solids loadings, i.e. the percentage of solids}
- C04B 35/62695: {Granulation or pelletising (devices for shaping artificial aggregates from ceramic mixtures B28B1/004)}
- C23C 14/086: {of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth}
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy}
- C04B 2235/3206: Magnesium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3208: Calcium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof, e.g. lime
- C04B 2235/3244: Zirconium oxides, zirconates, hafnium oxides, hafnates, or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3248: Zirconates or hafnates, e.g. zircon
- C04B 2235/3286: Gallium oxides, gallates, indium oxides, indates, thallium oxides, thallates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc gallate
- C04B 2235/3293: Tin oxides, stannates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO]
- C04B 2235/5445: submicron sized, i.e. from 0,1 to 1 micron
- C04B 2235/604: Pressing at temperatures other than sintering temperatures
- C04B 2235/6567: Treatment time
- C04B 2235/6585: at an oxygen percentage above that of air
- C04B 2235/77: Density
- C04B 2235/96: Properties of ceramic products, e.g. mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, wear resistance
- C04B 2235/9653: Translucent or transparent ceramics other than alumina
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 mΩ·cm or less. This invention aims to provide an indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium and tin as additives, wherein a ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to a sum of that of indium and zirconium is in a range of 0.5 to 4%, a ratio of atomic concentration of tin to a sum of that of indium, zirconium and tin is in a range of 0.015 to 0.5%, relative density is 99.3% or higher, and bulk resistance is 0.5 mO·cm or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The indium oxide sintered compact according to claim 1 containing at least one of magnesium and calcium in addition to the additives, wherein a ratio of atomic concentration of magnesium or calcium or a sum of the atomic concentrations thereof to a sum of that of all metal elements in the sintered compact is in a range of 0.5 to 2.0%, the relative density is 99.5% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 mO·cm or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method of manufacturing an indium oxide transparent conductive film based on sputtering, comprising the steps of retaining a substrate without being heated or being heated to 150° C. or less in a mixed gas atmosphere of argon and oxygen in which the oxygen concentration is less than 1%, and sputtering the oxide sintered compact according to claim 1 to deposit an amorphous film on the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of etching the film to form a circuit pattern, and thereafter crystallizing the film by annealing the film at a temperature which is not lower than a crystallization temperature of the film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method of manufacturing an indium oxide transparent conductive film based on sputtering, comprising the steps of retaining a substrate at a temperature which is not lower than a crystallization temperature of the film in a mixed gas atmosphere of argon and oxygen in which the oxygen concentration is less than 1%, and sputtering the oxide sintered compact according to claim 1 to deposit a crystallized film on the substrate.