Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving efficiency of photovoltaic cells by improving light capture between the photoelectric unit and back reflector is provided. A transition layer is formed at the interface between the photoelectric unit and transmitting conducting layer of the back reflector by adding oxygen, nitrogen, or both to the surface of the photoelectric unit or the interface between the photoelectric unit and the transmitting conducting layer. The transition layer may comprise silicon, oxygen, or nitrogen, and may be silicon oxide, silicon nitride, metal oxide with excess oxygen, metal oxide with nitrogen, or any combination thereof, including bilayers and multi-layers. The sputtering process for forming the transmitting conducting layer may feature at least one of nitrogen and excess oxygen, and may be performed by sputtering at low power, followed by an operation to form the rest of the transmitting conductive layer.

Abstract: A touch panel manufacturing method is a method for manufacturing a touch panel including a transparent substrate having a main surface on which a transparent-electroconductive film is formed. The transparent-electroconductive film is formed on the main surface of the transparent substrate by carrying out sputtering using a target made of a zinc oxide-based material in a reactive gas atmosphere containing two or three gases selected from a group consisting of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and water vapor.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a layer of or including Ti1-xSixOy and/or a method of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the Ti1-xSixOy-based layer may be substoichiometric with respect to oxygen. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the layer may include Ti1-xSixOy where x is from about 0.05 to 0.95 (more preferably from about 0.1 to 0.9, and even more preferably from about 0.2 to 0.8, and possibly from about 0.5 to 0.8) and y is from about 0.2 to 2 (more preferably from about 1 to 2, and even more preferably from about 1.5 to 2, and possibly from about 1.9 to 2). The layer may have an index of refraction of from about 1.6 to 1.9. The layer may also be used with a transparent conductive oxide in a transparent conductive coating.

Abstract: An electrically conductive cadmium sulfide sputtering target, the method of making the same, and the method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell using the same.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a chalcopyrite-type thin film solar cell includes a first step of forming onto a Mo electrode layer 2 a precursor including an In metal layer and a Cu—Ga alloy layer by sputtering, a second step of attaching an alkali-metal solution onto the precursor, a selenization step of subjecting the substrate 1 which has undergone both the first and the second steps to a selenization treatment, and a transparent electrode forming step of depositing an optically transparent conductive layer. As the alkali-metal solution, an aqueous solution of an alkali metal compound, such as sodium tetraborate, sodium sulfide, and sodium aluminum sulfate, can be used.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar battery for forming a thin film solar battery is provided in which, when a layered structure of a transparent electrode layer and a metal layer is formed as a back side electrode layer over a surface on a side opposite to a side of incident light of the thin film solar battery, a period is provided in which the transparent electrode layer and the metal layer are simultaneously formed for one substrate.

Abstract: The present application relates to a process for the manufacture of transparent, large band gap, high refractive index and high temperature stable, non-stoichiometric titanium nitride thin film (TiNx 0.1<x?1.0) for optical and optoelectronic devices comprising the steps of preparing the said film by magnetron sputtering in a mixture of argon and nitrogen atmosphere, as a thin layer on a substrate selected from stainless steel, amorphous fused silica, magnesium oxide, lanthanum aluminate and sodium borosilicate glass, the deposition of the said layer of the substrate being carried out at temperature between ambient and 873 K, the deposition being controlled by varying the nitrogen pressure. The invention also provides films prepared by this process and substrates coated with such films.

Abstract: An object is to provide a transparent conductive film having favorable transparency and conductivity at low cost. Another object is to reduce the resistivity of a transparent conductive film formed using conductive oxynitride including zinc and aluminum. Another object is to provide a transparent conductive film that is formed using conductive oxynitride including zinc and aluminum. When aluminum and nitrogen are made to be included in a transparent conductive film formed using oxide including zinc to form a transparent conductive film that is formed using conductive oxynitride including zinc and aluminum, the transparent conductive film can have reduced resistivity. Heat treatment after the formation of the transparent conductive film that is formed using conductive oxynitride including zinc and aluminum enables reduction in resistivity of the transparent conductive film.

Abstract: A method for hermetically sealing a device without performing a heat treatment step and the resulting hermetically sealed device are described herein. The method includes the steps of: (1) positioning the un-encapsulated device in a desired location with respect to a deposition device; and (2) using the deposition device to deposit a sealing material over at least a portion of the un-encapsulated device to form a hermetically sealed device without having to perform a post-deposition heat treating step. For instance, the sealing material can be a Sn2+-containing inorganic oxide material or a low liquidus temperature inorganic material.

Abstract: A method of forming an indium-containing transparent conductive oxide by reactive sputtering a metal target containing indium in an oxygen containing atmosphere and then depositing the resulting indium oxide on a substrate. Metal targets used in the method and photovoltaic devices utilizing the transparent conductive oxides are also disclosed.

Abstract: A magnetron unit includes a plurality of first magnet elements each including first magnets which have the same polarity and are provided on two end portions of a yoke plate made of a magnetic material and a second magnet which has a polarity different from that of the first magnets and is provided on a middle portion of the yoke plate, a base plate on which a moving unit is placed to make each of the plurality of first magnet elements move in one direction, and a second magnet element which includes yoke plates made of a magnetic material and fixed to two end portions respectively, of the base plate, a magnet which has the same polarity as that of the second magnet and is placed on the yoke plate and a magnet which has the same polarity as that of the first magnet and is placed on the magnet.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to sputter-deposited transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) for use in, for example, refrigeration and/or freezer units (e.g., as doors, windows, etc.). The TCC may include a silver-based conductive layer, at least partially protected by a zirconium oxide overcoat. Such TCCs may be provided in connection with monolithic or multi-substrate arrangements in different example embodiments. Certain example embodiments may involve “active” modes, where a silver-based layer in the TCC may receive a voltage, e.g., to reduce the likelihood of frosting, freezing, fogging, condensation, and/or the like, on the glass substrate that supports the TCC.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to sputter-deposited transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) that are capable of surviving the harsh environments of ovens so that they can be included, for example, in oven door applications. In certain example embodiments, zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2 or other suitable stoichiometry) may be used as a protective overcoat to protect an underlying Ag layer from corrosion in the atmosphere. In three lite oven door example embodiments, surface 1 has a TCC pyrolytically disposed thereon, surface 2 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon and, optionally, surface 3 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon. In two lite oven door example embodiments, surface 1 has a TCC pyrolytically disposed or sputter-deposited thereon, and surface 2 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon.

Abstract: A method for forming a transparent conductive film forms the transparent conductive film containing ZnO as a basic element on a substrate by a sputtering which is performed by applying a sputtering voltage to a target made of a material to form the transparent conductive film and generating a horizontal magnetic field over a surface of the target. The sputtering is performed by setting the sputtering voltage to 340 V or less.

Abstract: A process for producing a transparent conductive laminate having a completely crystallized, transparent conductive layer on a substrate comprising an organic polymer molding is provided. The transparent conductive layer is excellent in transparency and wet heat confidence, is not excessively low in specific resistivity, and has no variation on optical properties such as retardation characteristic. The transparent conductive laminate is obtained by sputter-film forming a transparent conductive layer on a substrate comprising an organic polymer molding under conditions of a substrate temperature of 80-150° C. and a degree of vacuum of 8×10?3 Pa or lower to form an amorphous transparent conductive layer comprising an In.

Abstract: The invention provides a transparent conductive film which exhibits low resistance and high transmittance, is an amorphous film, can be relatively readily patterned by etching with a weak acid, and can be relatively readily crystallized, and a method for producing the film. The transparent conductive film deposited from a sputtering target containing a sintered oxide including indium oxide, barium, and, in accordance with needs, tin, characterized in that the film contains indium oxide, barium, and, in accordance with needs, tin.

Abstract: A transparent conducting oxide (TCO) film comprising: a TCO layer, and dopants selected from the elements consisting of Vanadium, Molybdenum, Tantalum, Niobium, Antimony, Titanium, Zirconium, and Hafnium, wherein the elements are n-type dopants; and wherein the transparent conducting oxide is characterized by an improved electron mobility of about 42 cm2/V-sec while simultaneously maintaining a high carrier density of ˜4.4e×1020 cm?3.

Abstract: An apparatus for sputter depositing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer are provided in the present invention. The transparent conductive oxide layer may be utilized as a contact layer on a substrate or a back reflector in a photovoltaic device. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a processing chamber having an interior processing region, a substrate carrier system disposed in the interior processing region, the substrate carrier system having a plurality of rollers for conveying a substrate through the interior processing region, and an insulating member electrically isolating the rollers from the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light emitting device of upward emission type and a thin film forming apparatus used in the method are provided. A plurality of film forming chambers are connected to a first transferring chamber. The plural film forming chambers include a metal material evaporation chamber, an EL layer forming chamber, a sputtering chamber, a CVD chamber, and a sealing chamber. By using this thin film forming apparatus, an upward emission type EL element can be fabricated without exposing the element to the outside air. As a result, a highly reliable light emitting device is obtained.

Abstract: A sputtering deposit apparatus capable of depositing a thin film having uniform sheet resistance value is provided. The sputtering deposit apparatus is arranged with at least two magnetron sputtering units within a film deposit chamber. On the upstream side in the substrate transfer direction 43 of the target shield 55 provided on the magnetron sputtering unit disposed on the most upstream side in the substrate transfer direction, of at least the two magnetron sputtering units, there is disposed the first cathode shield 62 which is electrically insulated.

Abstract: Methods for sputter depositing a transparent conductive layer are provided in the present invention. The transparent conductive layer may be utilized as a contact layer on a substrate or a back reflector in a photovoltaic device. In one embodiment, the method includes supplying a gas mixture into the processing chamber, sputtering source material from a target disposed in the processing chamber, wherein the target is fabricated from a zinc containing material having an aluminum containing dopant concentration less than 3 percent by weight, and reacting the sputtered material with the gas mixture.

Abstract: A sealing method for decreasing the time it takes to hermetically seal a device and the resulting hermetically sealed device (e.g., a hermetically sealed OLED device) are described herein. The sealing method includes the steps of: (1) cooling an un-encapsulated device; (2) depositing a sealing material over at least a portion of the cooled device to form an encapsulated device; and (3) heat treating the encapsulated device to form a hermetically sealed device. In one embodiment, the sealing material is a low liquidus temperature inorganic (LLT) material such as, for example, tin-fluorophosphate glass, tungsten-doped tin fluorophosphate glass, chalcogenide glass, tellurite glass, borate glass and phosphate glass. In another embodiment, the sealing material is a Sn2+-containing inorganic oxide material such as, for example, SnO, SnO+P2O5 and SnO+BPO4.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell, an electrode of the dye-sensitized solar cell, a method of manufacturing the electrode of the dye-sensitized solar cell are disclosed. The method of manufacturing the electrode of the dye-sensitized solar cell in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: forming a metal transparent electrode on one surface of a transparent polymer board, in which the metal transparent electrode has holes formed therein; forming a electron transfer layer on the metal transparent electrode; and absorbing photosensitive dye into the electron transfer layer. According to the method as set forth above, a flexible solar cell can be implemented by using a flexible electrode, and another transparent electrode layer using ITO can be omitted by using the nano-patterned metal transparent electrode. Therefore, the highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cell can be implemented by the excellent conductivity of metals and the plasmon effect.

Abstract: An integrated structure and method of its fabrication are presented. The integrated structure comprises at least one waveguide; at least one fluid chamber; and an electrode assembly. The fluid chamber is associated with said at least one waveguide and configured and operable to selectively allow one or more droplets of said fluid from the fluid chamber to access at least a portion of the waveguide thereby selectively creating one or more fluid-waveguide interfaces and affecting the effective refractive index of the waveguide and light coupling at said one or more interface. The electrode assembly is configured and operable to induce an electric field within said at least one fluid chamber to affect the fluid-waveguide interface, thereby affecting light propagation in said waveguide and accordingly affecting optical properties of the integrated structure.

Abstract: There are provided: (1) a process for producing an InSbO4-containing transparent electroconductive film, which comprises the step of sputtering simultaneously: (i) a target (A) for sputtering, which comprises In, Sb and O, and whose atomic ratio of Sb/In is from 0.9 to 1.1, and (ii) a target (B) for sputtering, which comprises Sb, (2) a transparent eletroconductive film, which contains In, Sb and O, and whose atomic ratio of Sb/In is from 0.8 to 1.5, and (3) a target for sputtering, which contains In, Sb and O, and whose atomic ratio of Sb/In is from 1.2 to 2.0.

Abstract: A method for depositing at least one stable, transparent and conductive layer system on chalcopyrite solar cell absorbers. The at least one stable, transparent and conductive layer system may be formed via ionizing PVD (physical vapor deposition) technology by using either high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) or high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a tin oxide target suitable for forming a transparent conductive film by a sputtering method, in particular, DC sputtering method, DC pulse sputtering method, AC sputtering method, and MF sputtering method. The present invention relates to a sputtering target for use in forming a transparent conductive film by a sputtering method, the sputtering target containing tin oxide as a main component and containing, as dopants, copper element and at least one element selected from the dopant group A consisting of niobium, tungsten, tantalum, bismuth, and molybdenum.

Abstract: A sintered body target for transparent conductive film fabrication is chiefly composed of Ga, In, and O; has a Ga content ranging from 49.1 at. % to 65 at. % with respect to all metallic atoms; is chiefly constructed from a ?-GaInO3 phase and an In2O3 phase; provides an In2O3 phase (400)/?-GaInO3 phase (111) X-ray diffraction peak intensity ratio that is 45% or less; and has a density of 5.8 g/cm3 or more. A transparent conductive film obtained by using a sputtering technique is an amorphous oxide transparent conductive film chiefly composed of Ga, In, and O, so that a Ga content ranges from 49.1 at. % to 65 at. % with respect to all metallic atoms, a work function is 5.1 eV or more, and a refractive index for light with a wavelength of 633 nm ranges from 1.65 to 1.85.

Abstract: An electrically controllable/electrochemical device, having variable optical and/or energy properties, including at least one carrier substrate including a first electronically conductive layer, a first electrochemically active layer capable of reversibly inserting ions such as cations, H+, or Li+, or anions, OH?, or anions made of an anodic (or respectively cathodic) electrochromic material, an electrolyte layer, a second electrochemically active layer capable of reversibly inserting the ions, or made of a cathodic (or respectively anodic) electrochromic material, and a second electronically conductive layer. At least one of the electrochemically active layers capable of reversibly inserting the ions, or made of an anodic or cathodic electrochromic material, has a sufficient thickness to allow all the ions to be inserted without electrochemically disfunctioning the active layers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent conductive film having high conductivity and a production method therefor. The present invention further provides a sintered body for forming the transparent conductive film and a production method therefor. The transparent conductive film comprises Ga, Ti, and O. The sintered body comprises Ga, Ti, and O. The method for producing a sintered body comprises the steps of: (a) mixing a titanium-containing powder and a gallium-containing powder; and (b) compacting and sintering the obtained mixture.

Abstract: A sputtering composite target includes: an oxide based component containing indium oxide; and a carbon based component.

Abstract: A transparent conductive oxide (TCO) based film is formed on a substrate. The film may be formed by sputter-depositing, so as to include both a primary dopant (e.g., Al) and a co-dopant (e.g., Ag). The benefit of using the co-dopant in depositing the TCO inclusive film may be two-fold: (a) it may prevent or reduce self-compensation of the primary dopant by a more proper positioning of the Fermi level, and/or (b) it may promote declustering of the primary dopant, thereby freeing up space in the metal sublattice and permitting more primary dopant to create electrically active centers so as to improve conductivity of the film. Accordingly, the use of the co-dopant permits the primary dopant to be more effective in enhancing conductivity of the TCO inclusive film, without significantly sacrificing visible transmission characteristics. An example TCO in certain embodiments is ZnAlOx:Ag.

Abstract: Transparent conducting oxides and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) material may comprise: providing a TCO target doped with either a high-permittivity oxide or a low-permittivity oxide in a process chamber. The method may also comprise depositing a metal oxide on the target in the process chamber to form a thin film having enhanced optical properties without substantially decreasing electrical quality.

Abstract: Provided is a high-density gallium oxide/zinc oxide sintered sputtering target containing 20 massppm or greater of each zirconium oxide and aluminum oxide, wherein the total content thereof is less than 250 ppm. This gallium oxide (Ga2O3)/zinc oxide (ZnO) sputtering target (GZO target) improves the conductivity and bulk density of the target by adding trace amounts of specific elements. In other words, it is possible to obtain a target capable of increasing the sintered density, inhibiting the formation of nodules, and preventing the generation of abnormal electrical discharge and particles by improving the component composition. Further, provided are a method of forming a transparent conductive film with the use of the target, and a transparent conductive film formed thereby.

Abstract: The photovoltaic structure comprises a thin film coating on a transparent substrate, the thin film comprising an effective amount of nanocrystalline silicon embedded in a matrix of amorphous and/or microcrystalline silicon. A transparent conducting oxide layer on a layer of non-conductive transparent oxide provides light-trapping capability as well as electrical conductivity where needed. A chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) reactor provides improved gas distribution to the substrates being coated in the reactor. An improved sputtering process and an improved RF plasma-enhanced CVD manufacturing method both using high levels of hydrogen in the hydrogen-silane mixture and high electrical power levels for the plasma to increase the speed and to lower the cost of manufacturing.

Abstract: A transparent oxide electrode film is provided to have crystalline indium oxide as its main component in which the indium in the indium oxide is substituted with titanium at a titanium/indium atomic ratio between 0.003 and 0.120, and the resistivity of the transparent oxide electrode film is 5.7×10?4 ?cm or less, so as to provide excellent transmittance for both the visible light region and the infrared light region, and low resistivity.

Abstract: A merocyanine dye is provided. The merocyanine dye is represented by formula (1). In the formula (1), A1 represents a divalent atomic group, n represents an integer of 1 to 3, A2 and A3 each independently represent an aromatic hydrocarbon ring or a heterocyclic ring having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, and R11 and R12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic group having 3 to 18 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Provided is a sputtering apparatus which can check a short-circuit of a mask during a non-discharge period, the sputtering apparatus including: a substrate support, which is installed inside a chamber and supports a substrate; a target, which includes a target material that is to be deposited on the substrate; a mask, which is spaced apart from the substrate so as to surround the peripheral part of the substrate; a shield, which supports the mask and is connected to ground; an insulating member, which combines the mask and the shield and includes an insulating material; and a short-circuit detecting apparatus for detecting a short-circuit of the mask during a non-discharge period of the sputtering apparatus.

Abstract: Providing a tin oxide target suitable for the formation of a transparent conductive film by DC sputtering method, DC pulse sputtering method or AC sputtering method. A sputtering target which is used for forming a transparent conductive film by a sputtering method, comprising tin oxide as the main component, and at least one element selected from the A dopant group consisting of zinc, niobium, titanium, magnesium, aluminum and zirconium and at least one element selected from the B dopant group consisting of tungsten, tantalum and molybdenum, as dopants.

Abstract: To provide an electrically conductive material excellent in electrical conductivity and capable of exhibiting p-type electrical conductivity. An electrically conductive material containing Sn, W and oxygen, characterized in that when its chemical composition is expressed as Sn(x)W(y)O(z), x, y and z satisfy the following formulae (1) to (4): 0.7<x<1.3??(1) 0.7<y<1.3??(2) 3.2<z<4.5??(3) 0.001?(x?y)?0.1 or 0.001?(y?x)?0.1.

Abstract: A transparent oxide electrode film is provided to have crystalline indium oxide as its main component, in which the indium in the indium oxide is substituted with titanium at a titanium/indium atomic ratio between 0.003 and 0.120, and the resitivity of the transparent oxide electrode film is 5.7×10?4 ?cm or less, so as to provide excellent transmittance for both the visible light region and the infrared light region, and low resistivity.

Abstract: An organic optoelectronic component comprises a substrate (1) with a first electrode (2) on the substrate (1), at least one first organic layer sequence (31) on the first electrode (2) which is suitable for emitting electromagnetic radiation during operation, an electrically conductive inorganic protective layer (4) on the at least one organic layer sequence (31) and a second electrode (5) on the protective layer (4). At least one of the first and second electrodes (2, 5) has a layer sequence (21, 22, 23) comprising a layer (21) comprising a transparent oxide and a layer (22) comprising a transparent metal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light emitting device of upward emission type and a thin film forming apparatus used in the method are provided. A plurality of film forming chambers are connected to a first transferring chamber. The plural film forming chambers include a metal material evaporation chamber, an EL layer forming chamber, a sputtering chamber, a CVD chamber, and a sealing chamber. By using this thin film forming apparatus, an upward emission type EL element can be fabricated without exposing the element to the outside air. As a result, a highly reliable light emitting device is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of opto-electronic technology and is intended to create transparent conductive layers. More concretely, the invention relates to the field of production of ceramic materials and is intended for using in manufacturing the ceramic targets, which serve as a source of material for magnetron, electron-beam, ion-beam and other films application methods in micro-, opto-, nanoelectronics, as well as to films produced from such a ceramic target and to a method for preparing such films. Disclosed is a ceramic target on the basis of zinc oxide doped with gallium containing from 0.5 to 6 atomic % of gallium and from 0.1 to 2 atomic % of boron, a portion of gallium and boron being contained in zinc oxide crystallites as a substitution admixture, and the rest portion of gallium and boron being contained together with zinc in the amorphous intergranular phase.

Abstract: A measuring device includes several sequentially disposed coating chambers for measuring optical properties of coated substrates. These coating chambers are separated from one another by partitioning walls, whose free ends are located closely above the substrate. The substrate is preferably a continuous film. By measuring the reflection, the transmission, etc. of the substrate between the individual coating chambers, it becomes possible to carry out measurements within only partially completed layer systems. This yields advantages for the technical operation control of the coating process.

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.

Abstract: The target for the transparent conductive thin film having indium oxide as its major component and containing tungsten and/or molybdenum, obtained by forming a body of indium oxide powder, and tungsten oxide power and/or molybdenum oxide powder and then heating or sintering the formed body such that the thin film after sputtering has indium oxide as the main component and contains tungsten and/or molybdenum with an atomic ratio (W+Mo)/In of 0.0040 to 0.0470, whereby a transparent conductive thin film having excellent surface smoothness and low specific resistance of 6.0×10?4?·cm or less, and whose surface smoothness and specific resistance properties do not change even when heated at 170° C. is provided.

Abstract: An oxide sintered body for sputtering target is provided wherein the main component is indium oxide, and it contains titanium such that the atomic ratio of Ti/In is 0.003 to 0.120, and the specific resistance is 1 k?m or less.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming an ITO film by optimized sequential sputter deposition of seed and bulk layers having different sputter process conditions, which is applicable to various display devices, and more particularly, to an organic light-emitting device needing an ultra-planarized surface roughness. In forming a transparent conducting electrode of a display device on a transparent substrate with an ITO film including a seed layer and a bulk layer, a method of forming the ITO film includes a first sputter deposition step of forming the ITO film on the substrate with sputtering gas supplied to an ion source at an ambience of oxygen flowing in the vicinity of the substrate and a second sputter deposition step of forming the ITO film with the sputtering gas supplied to the ion source only, wherein the first and second sputter deposition steps have different process conditions, respectively and wherein the seed and bulk layers are deposited by the first or second sputter deposition step.

Abstract: The invention is a novel sputter target and deposition method for multi-element thin film phosphors for thick film dielectric electroluminescent displays in which the deposited phosphors provide a high luminance and colors required for TV applications. The method comprises sputtering a single composite target in a low pressure sputtering atmosphere that comprises gases containing reactive species and non-reactive species. The composite target comprising a matrix phase and an inclusion phase, or two matrix phases, wherein one of the phases comprises one or more metallic elements that contribute to the composition of the phosphor and the other of the phases comprises the remaining elements that contribute to the composition of the phosphor.