Authors: Shu Jie, Li Yang, Dong Hua Fan
Abstract: Al-doped ZnO (ZAO) thin film with good performance was prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technology under optimized process conditions. The crystallized characteristic and microstructure of the prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical transmittance spectra was employed to investigate the dependence of the optical performance of the ZAO film on the process conditions, such as argon-oxygen pressure ratios and sputtering powers, which revealed that the transmittance in the visible spectrum is first increased and then decreased as the argon/oxygen pressure ratios increased from 7/1 to 10/1. When the argon/oxygen pressure ratio is 9/1, the transmittance adds up to the maximum. In addition, as the RF sputtering power increases from 80W to 120W, the transmittance of the films is slightly declined with an average transmittance of above 80%; and with the increase of the sputtering power to 140W and 160W, the maximum transmittance of the film obviously decreases below 75%. Moreover, the electrical properties of ZAO thin films were measured by the four-probe tester. The resistivity of the film is less than 10-3 Ω • cm, demonstrating that it have a good electrical performance.
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Authors: Farah Lyana Shain, Azmizam Manie Mani, Lam Mui Li, Umar Faruk Shuib, Saafie Salleh, Afishah Alias, Khairul Anuar Mohamad
Abstract: This paper investigates the dependence of pressure onto characteristic of Aluminium Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films. Films were deposited on a glass substrate by RF Magnetron Sputtering using AZO ceramic target with 99.99% purity. Sputtering was performed with RF power of 100 Watt and the deposition times were fixed at 40 minutes. The argon pressures were varied from 10 sccm to 30 sccm in order to achieve different working pressure during deposition in order to study the effect of pressure towards characteristic of films. AZO thin films on different argon pressure were successfully deposited onto glass substrate. All films are polycrystalline with (0 0 2) preferential orientation and fully transparent films with high transparency above 80 percent were achieved. The film deposited at 10 sccm argon flow exhibit the highest growth rate at 7.9 nm/m, highest intensity XRD peak with higher crystalline quality and lowest resistivity that is 2.7 x 10ˉ2 Ω cm .
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Authors: Tossaporn Lertvanithphol, W. Rakreungdet, Pitak Eiamchai, M. Horprathum, C. Hom-On, P. Jaroenapibal, S. Limwichean, N. Nuntawong, V. Patthanasettakul, P. Chindaudom
Abstract: Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) was used to analyse the effect of plasma treatment on aluminium oxide thin films. The aluminium oxide thin films were fabricated by reactive DC magnetron sputtering at different operating pressures. The as-deposited thin films were plasma treated at different ambient Ar and O2 conditions. The prepared samples were investigated for physical microstructures with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical characteristics with ellipsometry. The ellipsometric spectra of the prepared samples were measured in the range of 250 to 1650 nm with the incidence angle of 70 degree. Based on the optical model with the Tauc-Lorentz function, the thickness and the refractive index of the films were determined and discussed. The results showed that the thickness and the refractive index of the aluminium oxide thin films were greatly affected after the plasma treatments. In comparison, the results of those prepared at different operating pressures were also discussed. The SE results were confirmed with those from SEM.
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