| abstract |
Disclosed are: a sintered body for a ZnO-Ga2O3 sputtering target, which has low resistivity and is suppressed in the formation of nodules or flakes; and a method for producing the sintered body for a ZnO-Ga2O3 sputtering target. The method for producing a sintered body for a ZnO-Ga2O3 sputtering target comprises: a step of molding a powder mixture of a zinc oxide powder and gallium oxide powder; a step of housing the molded body of the powder mixture in a container (20) that is placed in a sintering furnace (10); a step of heating the molded body to a sintering temperature of not less than 1200°C but not more than 1500°C, while introducing oxygen into the container (20); a step of maintaining the sintering temperature, while continuing the introduction of oxygen into the container (20); and a step of decreasing the temperature within the furnace after stopping the introduction of oxygen into the container (20). Since the container (20) is heated within the furnace and has a function of uniformizing the heat distribution of the molded body, the influence of the temperature distribution within the furnace can be eliminated, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the molded body. Consequently, a GZO sputtering target, which has low resistivity and is suppressed in the formation of nodules, can be obtained by the method. |