Sol–gel derived ITO thin films with (400) preferred orientation

In this research, the impact of annealing temperature on the optical and microstructural characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) films formed onto soda lime glass substrates was investigated. The resulting films are subjected to a range of temperatures throughout the calcination process, up to 600 °C. The samples are characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) techniques. Additionally, the films’ optical characteristics, surface morphology, and phase purity are contrasted. The outcomes demonstrate that the annealing temperature has a significant impact on every property. The sample that was annealed at 400 °C had the best microstructure and the lowest surface roughness, according to the AFM data. The transmittance measurements further show that the 400 °C-annealed film has the highest transmittance, ~ 90%. The results show that the sample that was annealed at 400 °C had the strongest intensity of the (400) peak, indicating that it had the highest ratio of I400/I222.