Investigation of the Optical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films by Double Integration Sphere Combined with the Numerical IAD Method

Transparent conductive electrodes have become essential components of numerous optoelectronic devices. However, their optical properties are typically characterized by the direct transmittance achieved by making use of spectrophotometers, avoiding an in-depth knowledge of the processes involved in radiation attenuation. A different procedure based on the Double Integration Sphere combined with the numerical Inverse Adding-Doubling (IAD) method is employed in this work to provide a comprehensive description of the physical processes limiting the light transmittance in commercial indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited on flexible PET samples, highlighting the noticeable contribution of light scattering on the total extinction of radiation. Moreover, harnessing their flexibility, the samples were subjected to different mechanical stresses to assess their impact on the material's optical and electrical properties.

Automated summary

Transparent conductive electrodes are crucial components in optoelectronic devices. In this study, the Double Integration Sphere combined with the numerical Inverse Adding-Doubling method is used to analyze the optical properties of commercial indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited on flexible PET samples, emphasizing the significant contribution of light scattering to radiation extinction. Additionally, the effects of mechanical stresses on the optical and electrical properties of the samples are investigated.