SVC 2026: Intellivation Abstract TCO
Process Improvements for Large Area Deposition of TCO Thin Films on Flexible Substrates using Roll-to-Roll Technology
Mike Simmons, Dr. Mark George, Intellivation LLC
Depositing transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) on flexible substrates using roll-to-roll
(R2R) technology enables large-scale manufacturing of thin-film photovoltaics, flexible
electronics, and opto-electronic sensors. Achieving low bulk resistivity in these films
remains challenging because many flexible substrates cannot be heated to the high
temperatures (e.g., >200 C) commonly used for rigid substrates in sheet-to-sheet (S2S)
coaters. This presentation describes the effects of varying sputter gas composition and
sputter frequency to improve TCO bulk resistivity. Complex design-of-experiments
(DOEs) can be executed rapidly using advanced HMI and controls combined with in-situ
metrology. Results and their relevance to ITO transparent-coating applications will be
discussed.
