What is ITO?
Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)
Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a tin-containing indium oxide transparent conductive oxide and a transparent-electrode candidate for electrochromic glazing stacks. Keep supplied powder and ceramic-target records separate from deposited-film evidence, and qualify the finished optical-electrical stack for the intended process.
Technical owner: Aurexene Materials Engineering Team · Last updated: 2026-08-08
Indium Tin Oxidetin-doped indium oxideITO powderITO ceramic targetITO sputtered film
Quick Answer
ITO is a transparent conductive oxide for transparent electrodes, including the conductive electrode layers used alongside separate electrochromic active materials in smart-window stacks. ITO is not the active switching layer. Powder, ceramic-target, and deposited-film evidence are not interchangeable; grade-specific specifications and finished-film performance require approved documents and matched-stack validation.
What It Is Not
- ITO is not standalone Indium Oxide or Tin Oxide; it is a tin-containing indium oxide material whose exact grade composition requires approved evidence.
- A powder or ceramic-target value is not finished-film proof; sputtered-film properties remain method-, thickness-, substrate-, and process-dependent.
- ITO is a transparent-electrode candidate in an electrochromic stack, not the electrochromic active or counter-electrode switching material.
When Not to Use It
- Do not transfer powder, ceramic-target, or reference-film properties to another form, thickness, substrate, deposition route, or coating process without matched-film validation.
Intrinsic Screening Summary
- Identity screen
- Tin-containing indium oxide (ITO); exact grade composition and analytical basis are confirmed during quotation or sample qualification.; Form-dependent powder, ceramic-target, or deposited-film morphology; qualify the supplied form and the finished film separately.
- Intrinsic feature
- Carrier transport and optical response depend on composition, film formation, thickness, substrate, contacts, and process history; powder or target identity alone does not establish final-film performance.
- Material-level integration
- Treat powder, ceramic target, and deposited film as separate qualification records; do not transfer finished-film evidence to powder or target specifications. Any product or application review.
Application Fit
| Application | Suitability | Conditions | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparent Conductive Films, Coatings & Fibers | GOOD FIT | Use when a deposited transparent electrode or an explicitly formulated ITO coating route matches the architecture; qualify substrate, thickness, contacts, sheet resistance, transmission, haze, color, adhesion, and aging. | Do not transfer powder, ceramic-target, or reference-film properties to another form, substrate, thickness, or process; matched finished-film data are required. |
| Smart Glazing | CONDITIONAL | Consider ITO when an electrochromic glazing architecture requires a deposited transparent electrode alongside separate active and counter-electrode layers. | ITO is not the electrochromic active switching layer. Do not assume a powder, target, or reference-film record meets sheet-resistance, haze, color, adhesion, weathering, or cost targets without final-stack validation. |
| NIR Shielding Coatings for Transparent Heat Control | CONDITIONAL | Consider ITO only when the IR-shielding architecture also needs a relevant finished-film optical-electrical role; qualify transmission, reflection, haze, color, thickness, sheet resistance, substrate, adhesion, and aging on the final stack. | ITO identity or a reference-film record does not establish near-infrared attenuation or cooling benefit in a binder, window film, or glazing stack. |
| EMI Shielding Materials | CONDITIONAL | Consider ITO when a transparent conductive shield or electrode uses a defined deposited-film route; validate shielding effectiveness, transmission, haze, thickness, contacts, adhesion, and aging on the final assembly. | Material identity does not establish shielding effectiveness; frequency, geometry, thickness, bonding path, and assembly validation remain required. |
| ESD Materials | CONDITIONAL | Use as a transparent antistatic film or electrode route when appearance-sensitive ESD control needs a deposited transparent conductor; qualify surface or volume resistance and charge decay on the final stack. | ITO identity does not establish ESD performance; specify the customer method, conditioning, grounding, thickness, substrate, contacts, and aging state. |
Selection & Validation Framework
| Decision Question | Material-Level Answer |
|---|---|
| Sputtered-film route | Transparent electrode, coated-glass, or transparent-conductor project. |
| Coating route | Treat any powder, slurry, or formulation-led coating route as a separate process candidate and validate resistance, optical response, film continuity, and durability on the finished coating. Coated-film or antistatic route. |
Material Identity & Specification Status
Approved values for Packaging are not published; confirm them during quotation or sample review.
| Property | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Tin-containing indium oxide (ITO); exact grade composition and analytical basis are confirmed during quotation or sample qualification. | |
| CAS / identity | 50926-11-9 | |
| Particle size | Grade-, form-, method-, and lot-specific particle-size data are confirmed during quotation or sample qualification. | |
| Morphology | Form-dependent powder, ceramic-target, or deposited-film morphology; qualify the supplied form and the finished film separately. | |
| Density | Grade- and form-specific density qualification required during quotation. | |
| Purity | Grade-specific purity, impurity limits, analytical method, and lot acceptance criteria are confirmed during quotation or sample qualification. | |
| Storage | Grade- and form-specific storage, handling, and shelf-life conditions are confirmed during quotation or sample qualification. | |
| Material identity | Indium tin oxide (ITO) | Material-class identity only; exact commercial grade and supplied form require approval. |
| CAS Number | 50926-11-9 | Material identity only; confirm applicability to the supplied commercial grade. |
Why It Works
| Structure | Function | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Tin-containing indium oxide transparent conductive oxide; exact composition, phase, and grade identity require form-specific qualification. | Transparent electrical conduction in a qualified continuous film while maintaining the project's optical acceptance window. | Carrier transport and optical response depend on composition, film formation, thickness, substrate, contacts, and process history; powder or target identity alone does not establish final-film performance. |
Compare Material Routes
| Material / Route | Decision Boundary |
|---|---|
| ATO | Screen ITO when a deposited transparent-electrode or explicitly formulated ITO route matches the intended architecture. Compare ATO and ITO on matched finished films; powder or target identity does not establish optical, electrical, durability, or delivered-cost performance. |
Technical Guides
| Technical Guide | Summary |
|---|---|
| Diagnosing High Sheet Resistance Despite Acceptable Material Loading | Diagnosing High Sheet Resistance Despite Acceptable Material Loading — a method-conditioned engineering guide using Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO) and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) for Transparent Conductive Films, Coatings & Fibers covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Qualifying Transparent Conductive Materials Across Substrates, Coating Lines, and Patterning Processes | Qualifying Transparent Conductive Materials Across Substrates, Coating Lines, and Patterning Processes — a method-conditioned engineering guide using Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO) and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) for Transparent Conductive Films, Coatings & Fibers covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Measuring Sheet Resistance, Transmission, Haze, Color, and Spatial Uniformity | Measuring Sheet Resistance, Transmission, Haze, Color, and Spatial Uniformity — a method-conditioned engineering guide using Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO) and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) for Transparent Conductive Films, Coatings & Fibers covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
| Forming Uniform Transparent Conductive Networks on Glass, Polymer Film, and Fiber | Forming Uniform Transparent Conductive Networks on Glass, Polymer Film, and Fiber — a method-conditioned engineering guide using Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO) and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) for Transparent Conductive Films, Coatings & Fibers covering structure-function behavior at the material, interface, and finished-system boundary, process limits, validation, and qualification boundaries. |
Documents & Inquiry
Document access follows the current approval state. Unapproved or unavailable files route to a document request instead of a public download.
Technical Data Sheet
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Safety Data Sheet
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Grade, Sample & Qualification Support
The Aurexene Materials Engineering Team can review the required form, host system, formulation or process, target, sample quantity, volume and timeline, and the grade-specific evidence needed before qualification.
Review Lab Capabilities for sample evaluation and qualification support, or Production Capabilities for scale-up, quality, documentation, and supply support.
Request ITO Sample / Qualification Review