Improved structural and electrical properties of thin ZnO:Al films by dc filtered cathodic arc deposition

TitleImproved structural and electrical properties of thin ZnO:Al films by dc filtered cathodic arc deposition
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsYuankun Zhu, Rueben J Mendelsberg, Sunnie HN Lim, Jiaqi Zhu, Jiecai Han, André Anders
JournalJournal of Materials Research
Volume27
Issue05
Pagination857 - 862
Date Published3/2012
ISSN0884-2914
Keywordsphysical vapor deposition, Plasma deposition, Transparent conductor
Abstract

Transparent conducting oxide films are usually several 100-nm thick to achieve the required low sheet resistance. In this study, we show that the filtered cathodic arc technique produces high-quality low-cost ZnO:Al material for comparably smaller thicknesses than achieved by magnetron sputtering, making arc deposition a promising choice for applications requiring films less than 100-nm thick. A mean surface roughness less than 1 nm is observed for ZnO:Al films less than 100-nm thick, and 35-nm-thick ZnO:Al films exhibit Hall mobility of 28 cm2/Vs and a low resistivity of 6.5 × 10−4 Ωcm. Resistivity as low as 5.2 × 10−4 Ωcm and mobility as high as 43.5 cm2/Vs are obtained for 135-nm films.

DOI10.1557/jmr.2011.342
Short TitleJ. Mater. Res.