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Preparation and characterization of the defect–conductivity relationship of Ga-doped ZnO thin films deposited by nonreactive radio-frequency–magnetron sputtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

M. Lalanne ,
J.M. Soon ,
A. Barnabé ,
L. Presmanes ,
I. Pasquet  and
Ph. Tailhades
M. Lalanne
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
J.M. Soon
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
A. Barnabé*
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
L. Presmanes
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
I. Pasquet
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
Ph. Tailhades
Affiliation:
Université de Toulouse UPS-INP-CNRS, Institut Carnot CIRIMAT, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Ga-doped ZnO (ZnO:Ga) thin films were prepared by radio-frequency–magnetron sputtering on conventional glass substrates at room temperature. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of these films as a function of argon pressure and film thicknesses were studied. All the films crystallized with the hexagonal wurtzite structure. The x-ray diffraction studies show that the ZnO:Ga films are highly oriented with their crystallographic c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. We discuss a methodology of using a “standardized platform” for comparison of samples deposited at different pressures, which provides an insight into the defect–resistivity relationship of each sample with respect to their microstructure. After the first annealing, the electrical properties of the films are dependent on the atmosphere used during postdeposition annealing treatment. A resistivity of 2.5 × 10−3 Ω · cm was obtained after vacuum annealing, and the films became an insulator after air annealing. The reproducibility of this treatment was verified. The average transmittance of all ZnO:Ga thin films is more than 85% in the visible range.

Keywords

OxidePhysical Vapor Deposition (PVD)Thin Film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 25 , Issue 12 , December 2010 , pp. 2407 - 2414
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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