Influence of Sputtering Power and Substrate Temperature on Properties of Al₂O₃-Doped ZnO Films

Abstract:

Aluminum oxide-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures and sputtering powers with pure argon flow. Their electrical and optical properties and microstructures were investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, four-probe tester. The investigation indicates that the electrical and optical properties and microstructures of the AZO films are remarkably influenced by substrate temperature and sputtering power. With the sputtering power increasing from 60W to 180W, the diffraction peaks rise significantly, the resistivity decreases quickly and the visible transmission is all quite high. When the substrate temperature increases from 25°C to 400°C, the diffraction peaks rise first and lower then both quickly, the resistivity decreases first sharply and then very slowly, and the visible transmission is also high. The films deposited at the substrate temperature 300°C with the sputtering power 180W have low resistivity 1.2×10^–3 Ω•cm and high transmittance 92% at the same time.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 557-559)
• Pages: 1945-1949
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.557-559.1945
• Online since: July 2012
• Authors: Ge Yu, Ya Liu, Dan Hong Hong, Dong Lin Li, Jian Xin Zang
• Keywords: AZO Film, Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering, Sputtering Power, Substrate Temperature

References

[1] C.Y. Hsu, T. F. Ko, Y. M. Huang: J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. Vol. 28(2008), p.3065

[2] B. Y. Oh, M. C. Jeong, T. H. Moon: Appl. Phys. Vol. 99(1-4)(2006), p.124505

[3] Chunqiao Ge, Yiyu Xue, Xia Zhilin: Vacuum electronics, Vol. 6(2004), p.51, In Chinese

[4] M. Suchea, S. Christoulakis, N. Katsarakis: Thin Solid Films Vol. 515(2007), p.6562

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2006.11.151

[5] T. Tsuji, M. Hirohashi: Appl. Surf. Sci. Vol. 158(1-2)(2000), p.134

[6] Yanyan Wang, Mingzhi We, Youming Yu: Journal of Soochow (Natural Science Edition) Vol. 28(2) (2012), p.54, In Chinese

[7] Bingjun Wu, Hao Changshan, Ming Li: Journal of University of Science and Technology of China Vol. 40(10) (2010), p.991, In Chinese

[8] Xueyong Li, Hongjian Li, Zhijun Wang: Opt. Commun. Vol. 282(2009), p.247, In Chinese

[9] K. K. Kim, S. Niki, J. Y. Oh.: Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 97(1-3)(2005), p.066103

[10] Yongsheng Shi, Yangyang Chen, Qingju Ning: Materials Review B Vol. 25(3)(2011), p.42, In Chinese