There have been many efforts to modify and improve the properties of functional thin films by hybridization with nano-sized materials. For the fabrication of electronic circuits, micro-patterning is a commonly used process. For photochemical metal-organic deposition, photoresist and dry etching are not necessary for microscale patterning. We obtained direct-patternable SnO2 thin films using a photosensitive solution containing Ag nanoparticles and/or multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The optical transmittance of direct-patternable SnO2 thin films decreased with introduction of nanomaterials due to optical absorption and optical scattering by Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs, respectively. The crystallinity of the SnO2 thin films was not much affected by an incorporation of Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs. In the case of mixed incorporation with Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs, the sheet resistance of SnO2 thin films decreased relative to incorporation of either single component. Valence band spectral analyses of the nano-hybridized SnO2 thin films showed a relation between band structural change and electrical resistance. Direct-patterning of SnO2 hybrid films with a line-width of 30 μm was successfully performed without photoresist or dry etching. These results suggest that a micro-patterned system can be simply fabricated, and the electrical properties of SnO2 films can be improved by incorporating Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs.

• 김현철 | Kim, Hyun-Cheol
• 박형호 | 박형호