Experimental Characterization of the Electrical and Optical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) Thin Films

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO), a tin-doped indium oxide, has gained significant attention due to its excellent electrical conductivity and high optical transparency in the visible range. Its wide direct band gap (3.5–4.3 eV) and low resistivity make it suitable for various optoelectronic applications. In this work, thin films of ITO were prepared and characterized to study their structural, optical, and electrical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a polycrystalline cubic structure with a (400) preferred orientation. UV–Visible spectroscopy showed high optical transmittance (>85%) and a direct band gap of about 3.8 eV. Electrical measurements confirmed low resistivity and good carrier mobility. These results highlight the potential of ITO thin films as transparent conductive electrodes for modern devices such as solar cells and display technologies.