Processes for forming transparent conductive films

Abstract

A target containing an indium oxide and a tin oxide is used and sputtered particles from the target are transported by a forced gas flow of a sputter gas onto an organic substrate and deposited on the organic substrate while applying a DC bias voltage or an RF bias voltage to the organic substrate. The organic substrate is close to the target so that it is positively acted on by plasma. Thus, an ITO transparent conductive film having a resistivity of 10 −3 ohm.cm or less is formed on the organic substrate. The formed ITO transparent conductive film has a ratio of 1:1 or more and 4:1 or less between the peak intensity of the plane and the peak intensity of the plane of the indium tin oxide in X-ray diffraction.

1 . A process for forming a transparent conductive film comprising:
 using a target containing indium and tin; and   transporting sputtered particles from the target onto an organic substrate by a sputter gas flow to deposit the particles on the target while applying a bias voltage to the organic substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 1 , wherein the target is a hollow target and the sputter gas is flown along a center axis of the target while the organic substrate is placed at a right angle to the center axis to oppose a flow of the sputter gas. 
     
     
         3 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 2  further comprising,
 applying a voltage to the target to generate a plasma, and   producing sputtered particles by the plasma.   
     
     
         4 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 3 , wherein the organic substrate is close enough to the target so as to be affected by the plasma. 
     
     
         5 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 4 , wherein a distance between the organic substrate and the target is about 2 cm or more to about 10 cm or less. 
     
     
         6 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 4 , wherein the organic substrate is cooled from behind. 
     
     
         7 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive film is continuously formed on a running plastic film used as the organic substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 1 , wherein a DC bias voltage is applied to the organic substrate as the bias voltage. 
     
     
         9 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 8 , wherein the DC bias voltage is about −80 V or more to about −10 V or less with respect to the discharge plasma potential. 
     
     
         10 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 1 , wherein a radio frequency bias voltage is applied to the organic substrate as the bias voltage. 
     
     
         11 . The process for forming a transparent conductive film according to  claim 10 , wherein the radio frequency bias voltage is applied from a radio frequency electrode located behind the organic substrate, and the average (DC components) of the radio frequency voltage on a front surface of the organic substrate on which the transparent conductive film is to be deposited is about −80 V or more to about −10 V or less with respect to the discharge plasma potential.