Enhanced transparency of ultrathin Ag films using a wetting layer of phosphomolybdic acid

Abstract Phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) was exploited as a cost-efficient material in combined spin-coating/sputtering deposition of PMA/Ag transparent conductive electrode for optoelectronic applications. Sputtering of Ag on glass results in the grainy films which are characterized by low transmittance and poor conductivity. It is demonstrated that the wetting layer composed of spin-coated PMA provides perfect conditions for the formation of ultrathin (7–10 nm) and smooth (root-mean-square