Defect Analysis of ITO Influenced by Follow-Up CVD Process

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This thesis reports the detection and analysis of defects of ITO films generated by follow-up deposition of silicon nitride film by CVD process. Recent market demand on high-resolution TFT LCDs requires high aperture ratio of TFT-array to achieve low-power consumptions. The most effective and economic way to achieve the goal is add a bottom ITO layer as part of storage capacitor into pixel circuit of the TFT-LCD. After the deposition and process of the bottom ITO layer, a follow-up PECVD process was necessary to deposit a dielectric layer such as silicon nitride film as an insulator to form a storage capacitor. However, the follow-up PECVD process usually had a high probability of generating spherical defects on the bottom ITO layer to degrade its optical transmittance and conductivity. This thesis reports the experimental attempts to reduce the spherical defects on the bottom ITO layer by finding new process parameters for the ITO layer as well as the follow-up PECVD process.