Preparation method of indium tin oxide (ITO) ceramic target material

Abstract

The invention discloses a preparation method of an indium tin oxide (ITO) ceramic target material. The method includes steps of: 1) during molding process of a ceramic green body, performing pressuremaintenance to a mold and temperature maintenance at 150-220 DEG C for 10-50 min, so that a microcell hydrothermal reaction among the particles in the green body is carried out, and achieving objectsof material transfer and round and smooth granules; 2) heating the mold to 270-400 DEG C, and maintaining the pressure and temperature at the temperature for 10-50 min to achieve supercritical treatment of water among the particles, so that the inorganic substances dissolved in water are uniformly separated out at crystal boundary, thus finally achieving intercrystalline welding effect and furthereffectively increasing the compactness of the green body, which is beneficial to reduction of the compactness and sintering temperature of the ITO target material. The method achieves compact sintering at lower than 1500 DEG C. The ITO target material is 5-10 [mu]m in grain size and is higher than 99.5% in relative density. The internal structures are all a cubic phase structure of indium oxide in the material without generation of any secondary phase substances.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of photoelectric materials, and in particular relates to a preparation method capable of realizing densification and sintering of an indium tin oxide ceramic target at a relatively low temperature (<1500°C). Background technique [0002] Indium oxide material doped with 10 wt% tin oxide (abbreviation: indium tin oxide material, Indium Tin Oxide, ITO) has the advantages of ultraviolet light absorption, visible light transparency, infrared light reflection, and adjustable electrical properties. Thin-film solar cells, smart glass, heating glass, heat-reflecting glass and other fields have been more and more used. At present, there are various technologies for depositing ITO thin films. Among them, magnetron sputtering is the most mature film. It has the advantages of high film density, good uniformity and repeatability, and easy large-area high-speed deposition. It is accepted and widely used by the industry...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] At present, it is the mainstream method to prepare high-quality ITO targets by normal pressure or micro-pressure sintering in an oxygen atmosphere. It brings the following problems: (1) Indium oxide and tin oxide are materials that are easy to volatilize at high temperature. At such a high temperature, oxygen loss increases, defects increase, and the target density is difficult to control; (2) Excessive sintering temperature will promote The grains are coarse, and the uniformity of sputtering is reduced; (3) under high temperature conditions, the tin element dissolved in the indium oxide lattice will segregate to the grain boundary, forming such as In 4 sn 3 o 12 Wait for the second phase, leading to the segregation of ceramic components, no longer a single indium oxide cubic phase structure, which will bring adverse effects such as nodules and abnormal discharge during the sputtering process; (4) Excessively high sintering temperature will accelerate the furnace material And the volatilization of silicon, aluminum and other elements in the setter plate, these substances will penetrate into the sintered body, pollute the ITO target, and also bring adverse effects such as nodules and abnormal discharge during the sputtering process; (5) higher The higher the sintering temperature, the higher the requirements for the equipment, and the more expensive the equipment, which in turn affects the final cost of the target.

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