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Title: Radio-Frequency Superimposed Direct Current Magnetron Sputtered Ga:ZnO Transparent Conducting Thin Films

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4709753· OSTI ID:1049617

The utilization of radio-frequency (RF) superimposed direct-current (DC) magnetron sputtering deposition on the properties of gallium doped ZnO (GZO) based transparent conducting oxides has been examined. The GZO films were deposited using 76.2 mm diameter ZnO:Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} (5 at. % Ga vs. Zn) ceramic oxide target on heated non-alkaline glass substrates by varying total power from 60 W to 120 W in steps of 20 W and at various power ratios of RF to DC changing from 0 to 1 in steps of 0.25. The GZO thin films grown with pure DC, mixed approach, and pure RF resulted in conductivities of 2200 {+-} 200 S/cm, 3920 {+-} 600 S/cm, and 3610 {+-} 400 S/cm, respectively. X-ray diffraction showed all films have wurtzite ZnO structure with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the substrate. The films grown with increasing RF portion of the total power resulted in the improvement of crystallographic texture with smaller full-width half maximum in {chi} and broadening of optical gap with increased carrier concentration via more efficient doping. Independent of the total sputtering power, all films grown with 50% or higher RF power portion resulted in high mobility ({approx}28 {+-} 1 cm{sup 2}/Vs), consistent with observed improvements in crystallographic texture. All films showed optical transmittance of {approx}90% in the visible range.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Program; USDOE Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Energy Frontier Research Center for Interface Science: Solar Electric Materials
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1049617
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 111, Issue 9; Related Information: Article No. 093718; ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English