Structural, Optical, and Electrical Characterization of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO Thin Films Deposited by MOCVD

Year: 2009

Authors: Fragala M., Malandrino G., Giangregorio M., Losurdo M., Bruno G., Lettieri S., Amato Santamaria L., Maddalena P.

Autors Affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Universita` di Catania and INSTM UdR Catania, Viale Andrea Doria,6, 95125 Catania (Italy);
Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari (Italy);
CNR-INFM Coherentia and Physical Sciences Department of Napoli ”Federico II”

Abstract: A novel approach is used to deposit transparent Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films by metal-organic (MO) CVD using a Zn/Al safe, friendly to use, easily to handle, multimetal, liquid precursor source. Films are highly crystalline, (002) textured, and exhibit good transparency in the visible region (90%). The effects of Al doping on morphological, optical, and electrical performances are scrutinized. Al doping causes an energy gap (Eg) blue shift and a slight decrease in refractive index. Moreover, it favors sizeable changes in grain size and a surface integrity that are responsible for a reduced carrier mobility. Nevertheless, a minimum resistivity value of 5 x 10(-2) Omega cm is obtained for thin (similar to 150 nm) AZO films. Time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) confirms the high crystal quality of deposited films. All features render present AZO films well suited for transparent conductive oxide (TCO) applications and suggest a great potential for the proposed fabrication method.

Journal/Review: CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

Volume: 15 (10-12)      Pages from: 327  to: 333

More Information: Maria Elena Fragala and Graziella Malandrino acknowledge CNR-ISTM and INSTM within the PROMO project and ALADIN Industria 2015 (Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico) for support to the present study, and Dr. Cristina Satriano for the AFM measurements. Maria Losurdo, Maria Michela Giangregorio and Giovanni Bruno acknowledge the 7th FP European Project NanoCharM (Multifunctional Nano-Materials Characterization exploiting Ellipsometry and Polarimetry) (NMP3-CA-2007-218570).
KeyWords: AZO; MOCVD; Transparent conductive oxide; ZnO;
DOI: 10.1002/cvde.200906790

Citations: 43
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