TY - CONF A1 - Hülagü, Deniz A1 - Ermilova, Elena A1 - Weise, Matthias A1 - de Préville, Sophie A1 - Hoffmann, Johannes A1 - Morán-Meza, José A1 - Piquemal, Francois A1 - Hertwig, Andreas T1 - Characterization of electrical properties in microstructured ITO layers using spectroscopic ellipsometry N2 - Thin indium tin oxide (ITO) layers are essential in optoelectronics due to their good electrical conductivity, optical transparency in the visible and near infrared regions, substrate adherence and chemical stability. They are widely used in photovoltaic cells, displays, and organic LEDs, and as low emissivity coatings in smart windows and energy-efficient buildings. For nanophotonic devices, understanding the interplay of ITO’s optical and electrical properties is crucial. Electrical resistivity can be tuned by modifying deposition conditions and layer thickness. However, measuring these properties, especially on microstructured surfaces, remains challenging due to the issues like homogeneity and instability during etching. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), a non-destructive and phase-sensitive optical technique, offers precise measurement of thin film thickness and dielectric properties. In this study, we investigated the layer thickness, optical constants, and sheet resistance of unstructured and microstructured ITO thin layers using SE. Unstructured layers were deposited via DC-magnetron sputtering on silicon (Si) substrates in argon (Ar) atmospheres with varying oxygen (O2) flows. This multi-technique approach enhances the understanding of ITO layer structuring and provides robust methodologies for correlating optical and electrical properties, advancing metrology for nanotechnology applications and material science. It also opens the pathway to new reference samples and calibration methods for electrical properties involving device-like structured samples. T2 - ICSE10 - 10th International Conference on Spectroscopic Ellipsometry CY - Boulder, CO, USA DA - 08.06.2025 KW - Ellipsometry KW - Indium tin oxide (ITO) KW - Scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) KW - Sheet resistance calibration standards KW - ITO wet etching PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63631 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hülagü, Deniz A1 - Ermilova, Elena A1 - Weise, Matthias A1 - de Préville, Sophie A1 - Hoffmann, Johannes A1 - Morán‐Meza, José A1 - Piquemal, François A1 - Hertwig, Andreas T1 - Multimethod Electrical Characterization of Thin Indium Tin Oxide Films: Structuring and Calibration Sample Development for Scanning Probe Microscopy N2 - Indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductive oxide, is widely used in optoelectronic applications due to its electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and chemical stability. This study employs spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) to analyze ITO layers, enabling nondestructive determination of film thickness, dielectric functions, and bulk conductivity. Electrical properties derived from SE are compared with those obtained using the four‐point probe method (4PM) to improve metrological tools for nanotechnology applications and optimize deposition process monitoring for better control of film properties. This work also investigates the chemical stability of ITO layers under etching conditions and explores the development of new sheet resistance standards for scanning microwave microscopy (SMM). The results show that ITO resistivity, calculated from fitted SE data, increases with oxygen flow rate up to 5 cm3(STP) min−1. Good agreement is observed between sheet resistance values obtained by SE and 4PM up to 3 cm3(STP) min−1. Additionally, the sheet resistance values of a distinct set of microstructured ITO samples with different ITO layer thicknesses are determined by SMM, which are highly consistent with those obtained by the 4PM. KW - Ellipsometry KW - Indium tin oxide (ITO) KW - Scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) KW - Sheet resistance calibration standards KW - ITO wet etching PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-626242 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.202400871 SN - 1862-6300 VL - 222 IS - 14 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, New Jersey, USA AN - OPUS4-62624 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Piquemal, François A1 - Hoffmann, Johannes A1 - Gautier, Brice A1 - Hertwig, Andreas A1 - Frabricius, Norbert T1 - Publishable Summary for 20IND12 Elena Electrical nanoscale metrology in industry N2 - Consumer electronics, innovative quantum technologies, and Internet of Things applications all rely on semiconductors, where reliable characterisation of electrical properties at the nanoscale is essential for European innovation and competitiveness. The measurement of these properties allows the evaluation of critical parameters used to define the performance of electronic materials and components. Currently, Conductive Atomic Force Microscopes and Scanning Microwave Microscopes enable nanoscale electrical characterisation, but they are costly, complicated and, in many cases where they are used, unreliable as measurements are not traceable. The aim of the project was to make such measurements traceable for the first time, with stated uncertainties, and affordable by developing and testing cost effective instrumentation and the first “out of lab” reference standards from DC to GHz and by elaborating robust calibration methods and good practice guides using simplified uncertainty budgets. All the objectives were achieved. The project has successfully improved the user-friendly uncertainty quantification for the electrical measurements at the nanoscale in the industrial environment. The design of calibration standards has been improved and new standards for DC resistance / current as well as HF impedance have been introduced and quantified. Good practice guides for the calibration and uncertainty quantification have been written and will be available to the users’ community. New ways of determining the properties of standard samples like ellipsometry have been evaluated. The interaction with stakeholders and industry collaborators was very important for the consortium and several case studies were carried out with industry-relevant samples. All data, procedures, and example uncertainty data from the project are included into the standardisation process and two IEC standards projects have been started during this project. These standards will be used as one important dissemination ways for the results of the project. KW - Electrical Properties KW - Nanometrology KW - Scanning Probe Microscopy KW - Optical Surface Analysis PY - 2024 SP - 1 EP - 9 AN - OPUS4-61812 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -