Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.

Katsuaki Okabe

Choju Nagata

Kouki Toishi

Kohichiro Eshima

Shinji Sato

Tsuyoshi Nishimura

Sintered ITO having a relative density of at least 88% and an oxygen content of 15.5-17.0 wt %, as well as an ITO sputtering target made of this sintered ITO. Using the target, an optimal range for the proportion of oxygen in a mixture of argon and oxygen gases used as a sputtering atmosphere is sufficiently expanded to permit the consistent formation of ITO films.

Sintered ITO and an ITO sputtering target

The starting salts for ITO production, precipitant and the conditions for reaction, calcination, etc. are specified such as to synthesize a starting oxide adapted to be free from volatile components such as halides and lower oxides; the starting oxide is dispersed to particles having a specified flowability; the powder is pressed into a compact, which is sintered in either air atmosphere or an oxygen-rich atmosphere to produce a large and high-density sinter for use as an ITO sputtering target.

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Honjo, Japan

Katsuaki Okabe