Reversible wettability of electron-beam deposited indium-tin-oxide driven by ns-UV irradiation

Journal Article · Mon Apr 09 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3701590· OSTI ID:22025510

Persano, Luana ^[1]; Del Carro, Pompilio ^[1]; Pisignano, Dario ^[1]

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1. NNL, National Nanotechnology Laboratory of CNR-Istituto Nanoscienze, Universita del Salento, via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce (Italy)

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the most widely used semiconductor oxides in the field of organic optoelectronics, especially for the realization of anode contacts. Here the authors report on the control of the wettability properties of ITO films deposited by reactive electron beam deposition and irradiated by means of nanosecond-pulsed UV irradiation. The enhancement of the surface water wettability, with a reduction of the water contact angle larger than 50 deg., is achieved by few tens of seconds of irradiation. The analyzed photo-induced wettability change is fully reversible in agreement with a surface-defect model, and it can be exploited to realize optically transparent, conductive surfaces with controllable wetting properties for sensors and microfluidic circuits.

• OSTI ID: 22025510
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 100, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
IRRADIATION
OPACITY
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SENSORS
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
TIN OXIDES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
WATER
WETTABILITY