Indium Tin Oxide Coated Glass

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a ternary composition of indium, tin, and oxygen in varying proportions. Depending on the oxygen content, Indium tin oxide can either be described as a ceramic or alloy.

Indium tin oxide is typically encountered as an oxygen-saturated composition with a formulation of 74% In, 18% O2, and 8% Sn by weight. Oxygen-saturated compositions are so typical, that unsaturated composition is termed oxygen-deficient ITO.

Indium tin oxide ITO transparent and colorless in thin layers, while in the bulk form it is yellowish to grey. In the infrared region of the spectrum, it acts as a metal-like mirror.

Indium tin oxide is one of the most widely used transparent conducting oxides because of its electrical conductivity and optical transparency, as well as the ease with which it can be deposited as a thin film.

As with all transparent conducting films, a compromise must be made between conductivity and transparency, since increasing the thickness and increasing the concentration of charge carriers increases the material’s conductivity, but decreases its transparency.