Dear Aaron,

to control the conductivity precisely it is easier to
use ceramic ITO targets with the needed composition.
Nevertheless for the best conductivity a small amount
of O2 is needed in the Ar carrier gas even with ITO
targets.
Sputtering from a metallic target can be faster and
the targets are easier to handle (ceramic targets are
brittle). But the control of the process is really not
easy. Nevertheless if I remember right Southwall is
using metallic targets in a roll-to-roll process (for
solar-control applications).
I guess if you start to work on sputtering ITO layers
the ceramic ITO targets are the better choice.

Best regards

Harald



> Hello,
>
> We are making plans to set up an ITO deposition
> system, and have decided to either sputter an ITO
> target, or reactively sputter an In/Sn target in a
> Ar/O2 plasma (assuming In/Sn mixed at the right
> ratio).
>
> I assume sputtering an ITO target might be easier to
> control and more repeatable, but I don't know for
> sure.  Does anyone else know?  Is there any reason
> to prefer one method over the other?
>
> Thank you for your insight.
>
> regards,
> Aaron Glatzer