The Real-Time Monitoring of the Laser-Induced Functionalization of Transparent Conductive Oxide Films

Laser-induced functionalization using excimer laser irradiation has been widely applied to transparent conductive oxide films. However, exploring suitable irradiation conditions is time-consuming and cost-ineffective as there are numerous routine film fabrication and analytical processes. Thus, we herein explored a real-time monitoring technique of the laser-induced functionalization of transparent conductive oxide films. We developed two types of monitoring apparatus, electrical and optical, and applied them to magnetron-sputtered, Sn-doped In(2)O(3) films grown on glass substrates and hydrogen-doped In(2)O(3) films on glass or plastic substrates using a picosecond Nd:YAG pulsed laser. Both techniques could monitor the functionalization from a change in the properties of the films on glass substrates via laser irradiation, but electrical measurement was unsuitable for the plastic samples because of a laser-induced degradation of the underlying plastic substrate, which harmed proper electrical contact. Instead, we proposed that the optical properties in the near-infrared region are more suitable for monitoring. The changes in the optical properties were successfully detected visually in real-time by using an InGaAs near-infrared camera.