A DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE SURFACE RESISTANCE OF TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE OXIDES BY THE FOUR-PROBE METHOD

Background. Transparent conducting oxides, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), are essential materials for various electronic applications, including solar cells, displays, and sensors. Accurate measurement of their surface resistance is critical for evaluating the quality and performance of such materials. However, existing measurement methods have limitations in terms of accuracy and versatility. The four-probe method, knownfor its high precision, is an effective approach for these measurements. The objectives of this study are to develop and investigate a device for measuring the surface resistance of TCOs using the four-probe method. The device must provide high measurement accuracy, flexibility in probe configuration adjustments, and integration with a PC to automate the measurement process and data collection. Materials and Methods. The device was developed using platinum probes, adjustable micro-drives for probe positioning, a stabilized DC power source, and high-sensitivity amplifiers. The probe configuration uses a triangular arrangement, which can be adapted for various types of samples. Calibration was performed using reference samples, and measurement accuracy was verified on real materials. The software includes an STM32 microcontroller and a PC interface implemented in Python. Results. The device demonstrated high measurement accuracy (±1 %) within the range of 10 Ω/ to 10 kΩ/ and was successfully tested on ITO and AZO samples. The triangular probe configuration enabled precise resistance measurements on non-uniform materials. The software provides a userfriendly interface for data visualization and analysis. Conclusions. The developed device meets the stated requirements and can be used for quality control of TCOs in various applications requiring precise surface resistance measurements. The software component facilitates seamless integration into workflows, automating data collection and processing. Future improvements may include enhancing user convenience and expanding device functionality.