Open AccessLow-visibility patterning of transparent conductive silver-nanowire films
Author(s) -
Eun−Hyoung Cho,
Jiann Loung Hwang,
Jae-Kwan Kim,
Jooho Lee,
Chan Kwak,
Chang Seung Lee
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.23.026095
Subject(s) - materials science , transmittance , finite difference time domain method , etching (microfabrication) , visibility , electrical conductor , optics , optoelectronics , nanowire , haze , reactive ion etching , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , composite material , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry
A partial etching mechanism is proposed to meet the requirement for low-visibility patterning of silver nanowire (AgNW)-based transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) by reducing the difference in optical properties between conductive and nonconductive regions of the pattern. Using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, etched geometries that provide the smallest difference in transmittance after etching are theoretically determined. A sodium hypochlorite-based etchant capable that allows the etched geometry to be varied by controlling the pH is used to create a low-visibility pattern with a transmittance and haze difference of 0.07 and 0.04%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a partial etching mechanism such as this has been studied in relation to AgNW-based TCEs.