Transparent conductive layer forming method, transparent conductive layer formed by the method, and material comprising the layer

Abstract

A transparent conductive layer forming method is disclosed which comprises the steps of introducing a reactive gas to a discharge space, exciting the reactive gas in a plasma state by discharge at atmospheric pressure or at approximately atmospheric pressure, and exposing a substrate to the reactive gas in a plasma state to form a transparent conductive layer on the substrate, wherein the reactive gas comprises a reducing gas.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A transparent conductive layer forming method comprising the steps of: 
 introducing a reactive gas to a discharge space;    exciting the reactive gas in a plasma state by discharge at atmospheric pressure or at approximately atmospheric pressure; and    exposing a substrate to the reactive gas in a plasma state to form a transparent conductive layer on the substrate, wherein the reactive gas comprises a reducing gas.    
     
     
         2 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 1 , wherein the reducing gas is hydrogen.  
     
     
         3 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas comprises at least one gas selected from gases derived from organometallic compounds.  
     
     
         4 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the step of introducing a mixed gas of the reactive gas and inert gas to the discharge space, the inert gas comprising argon or helium.  
     
     
         5 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 4 , wherein the content of the reducing gas in the mixed gas is 0.0001 to 5.0% by volume.  
     
     
         6 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 4 , wherein the mixed gas to be introduced to the discharge space contains no oxygen.  
     
     
         7 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 1 , wherein an output density of not more than 100 W/cm 2  is applied at a frequency of not less than 0.5 kHz across the discharge space.  
     
     
         8 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 7 , wherein an output density of not less than 1 W/cm 2  is applied at a frequency exceeding 100 kHz across the discharge space.  
     
     
         9 . The transparent conductive layer forming method of  claim 1 , wherein temperature of the surface of the substrate, on which the transparent conductive layer is formed, is not more than 300° C.  
     
     
         10 . A transparent conductive layer, wherein the transparent conductive layer is formed on a substrate by introducing a reactive gas to a discharge space, exciting the reactive gas in a plasma state by discharge at atmospheric pressure or at approximately atmospheric pressure, and exposing the substrate to the reactive gas in a plasma state, wherein the reactive gas comprises a reducing gas.  
     
     
         11 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 10 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a resistivity of not more than 1×10 −3  Ω·cm.  
     
     
         12 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 10 , having a mobility of carrier of not less than 10 cm 2 /V·sec.  
     
     
         13 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 10 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a density of carrier of not less than 1×10 19  cm −3 .  
     
     
         14 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 10 , having a density of carrier of not less than 1×10 20  cm −3 .  
     
     
         15 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 10 , wherein the transparent conductive layer contains any of indium oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, fluorine doped tin oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, ITO, and In 2 O 3 —ZnO as the main component.  
     
     
         16 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 15 , wherein the transparent conductive layer is an ITO layer having an atomic ratio In/Sn of from 100/0.1 to 100/15.  
     
     
         17 . The transparent conductive layer of  claim 15 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a carbon content of from 0 to 5.0 atomic %.  
     
     
         18 . A material comprising a substrate and provided thereon, a transparent conductive layer, wherein the transparent conductive layer has a resistivity of not more than 1×10 −3  Ω·cm.  
     
     
         19 . The material of  claim 18 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a mobility of carrier of not less than 10 cm 2 /V·sec.  
     
     
         20 . The material of  claim 18 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a density of carrier of not less than 1×10 19  cm −3 .  
     
     
         21 . The material of  claim 18 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a density of carrier of not less than 1×10 20  cm −3 .  
     
     
         22 . The material of  claim 18 , wherein the transparent conductive layer contains any of indium oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, fluorine doped tin oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, ITO, and In 2 O 3 —ZnO as the main component.  
     
     
         23 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein the transparent conductive layer is an ITO layer having an atomic ratio In/Sn of from 100/0.1 to 100/15.  
     
     
         24 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein the transparent conductive layer has a carbon content of from 0 to 5.0 atomic %.  
     
     
         25 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is a transparent resin film.  
     
     
         26 . The material of  claim 25 , wherein the transparent resin film is a substrate for a touch panel, a substrate for a liquid crystal element, a substrate for an organic EL element, a substrate for a PDP, a substrate for an electromagnetic wave shielding material, or a substrate for an electronic paper.  
     
     
         27 . The material of  claim 18 , wherein the critical radius of curvature of the transparent conductive layer is not more than 8 mm.  
     
     
         28 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein the transparent conductive layer is an electrode formed by patterning.  
     
     
         29 . A material comprising a substrate and provided thereon, a transparent conductive layer, wherein the transparent conductive layer has a coefficient of variation in the thickness direction of the ratio H/M of not more than 5%, wherein H represents peak intensity of a hydrogen ion in the thickness direction of the transparent conductive layer measured according to dynamic SIMS, and M represents peak intensity of a metal ion derived from the main metal oxide in the thickness direction of the transparent conductive layer measured according to dynamic SIMS.  
     
     
         30 . The material of  claim 29 , wherein the transparent conductive layer is formed on a substrate by introducing a reactive gas to a discharge space, exciting the reactive gas in a plasma state by discharge at atmospheric pressure or at approximately atmospheric pressure, and exposing the substrate to the reactive gas in a plasma state.  
     
     
         31 . The material of  claim 30 , wherein the reactive gas comprises a reducing gas.  
     
     
         32 . The material of  claim 30 , wherein an output density if not less than 1 W/cm 2  is applied at a frequency exceeding 100 kHz across the discharge space.