Enhancing electrical conductivity of room temperature deposited Sn-doped In₂O₃ thin films by hematite seed layers

Hematite Fe₂O₃ seed layers are shown to constitute a pathway to prepare highly conductive transparent tin-doped indium oxide thin films by room temperature magnetron sputtering. Conductivities of up to δ = 3300 S/cm are observed. The improved conductivity is not restricted to the interface but related to an enhanced crystallization of the films, which proceeds in the rhombohedral phase.