FTO Processing Guide

FTO Coated Glass Etching

For etching of the FTO-coated glass, you will need the following products: TEC 8/TEC 10/TEC 15 FTO glass, etch resistant tape, Zinc Powder, Hydrochloric Acid, Cotton Buds, and Multimeter. The following is a step-by-step guide for the etching of FTO coatings. This can be downloaded as a PDF, and an additional instructional video is provided.

Prepare a 2M HCl solution
Place an etch resistant tape onto the FTO glass substrate.
Coat the FTO glass substrate in a layer of Zinc Powder.
Cover the remaining Zinc Powder with the 2M HCl solution and wait for the reaction to finish.
Using a cotton bud, firmly wipe away the etched area of the substrate and rinse with DI water.
Using a multimeter check the resistance across the etched area, this should be in excess of MOhms. If not, repeat the etching steps again.

FTO Coated Glass Cleaning

For cleaning of the FTO-coated glass after etching, you will need the following products: FTO glass, substrate rack, Hellmanex iii, isopropyl alcohol, and UV Ozone Cleaner. The following is a step-by-step guide for cleaning FTO-coated glass. This can be downloaded as a PDF, and an additional instructional video is provided.

Sonicate etched FTO Glass for 5 minutes in hot (70°C) DI water with the addition of 1% Hellmanex.
Dump-rinse twice in boiling DI water.
Sonicate etched FTO Glass for 5 minutes in Isopropyl alcohol.
Dump-rinse twice in boiling DI water.
Dry the etched FTO Glass using filtered compressed gas.
Place the etched FTO Glass into the UV Ozone cleaner and leave for 10 minutes.