TY - THES

T1 - Synthesis and Characterisation of DC-Magnetron Sputtered Molybdenum Oxide Thin Films

AU - Jachs, Christoph

N1 - embargoed until 01-03-2020

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Today, flat-panel displays based on thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology are widely used in various electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, desktop computer monitors and television screens. The transistors are contacted by electrodes which are composed of transparent conductive oxides. Presently, the material of choice is tin doped indium oxide, but due to the limited availability of indium other material solutions are being explored. Within this thesis, molybdenum oxide thin films with varying oxygen concentration were synthesized by reactive and non-reactive DC magnetron sputter deposition to study structure-property relations in the system Mo-O. A general material characterisation was conducted including phase analysis by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, chemical composition determination based on energy and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, as well as measurements of electrical resistivity and mechanical properties. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images were used to describe the obtained microstructure. The characteristics of the deposited molybdenum oxide thin films vary from opaque to transparent, as well as from electrically conductive to insulating. Furthermore, differences and similarities in thin film structure and properties applying reactive and non-reactive deposition processes are discussed. In summary, the Mo-O system presents a promising alternative for currently used materials in TFT-LCDs as the properties of the molybdenum oxide thin films are easily tuneable by varying the oxygen concentration in the synthesized films.

AB - Today, flat-panel displays based on thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology are widely used in various electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, desktop computer monitors and television screens. The transistors are contacted by electrodes which are composed of transparent conductive oxides. Presently, the material of choice is tin doped indium oxide, but due to the limited availability of indium other material solutions are being explored. Within this thesis, molybdenum oxide thin films with varying oxygen concentration were synthesized by reactive and non-reactive DC magnetron sputter deposition to study structure-property relations in the system Mo-O. A general material characterisation was conducted including phase analysis by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, chemical composition determination based on energy and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, as well as measurements of electrical resistivity and mechanical properties. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images were used to describe the obtained microstructure. The characteristics of the deposited molybdenum oxide thin films vary from opaque to transparent, as well as from electrically conductive to insulating. Furthermore, differences and similarities in thin film structure and properties applying reactive and non-reactive deposition processes are discussed. In summary, the Mo-O system presents a promising alternative for currently used materials in TFT-LCDs as the properties of the molybdenum oxide thin films are easily tuneable by varying the oxygen concentration in the synthesized films.

KW - TFT-LCD

KW - transparente leitfähige Oxide

KW - Molybdänoxide

KW - reaktives Kathodenzerstäuben

KW - Mischtarget

KW - TFT-LCD

KW - transparent conductive oxide

KW - molybdenum oxide

KW - reactive sputter deposition

KW - oxide compound target

M3 - Diploma Thesis

ER -