The Influence of Magnetron Sputtering Process Temperature on ZnO Thin-Film Properties

The important research direction in surface engineering and photovoltaics is the development of new materials that can replace the previously used expensive films. A prospective compound is zinc oxide (ZnO), characterized by optical and electrical properties similar to ITO and a lower production cost. One of the key factors influencing the properties of the ZnO thin films is the technique and parameters of their production. The comprehensive investigation results of the influence of ZnO thin-films deposition process temperature on their structure, optical properties, and adhesion are presented in the paper. ZnO films were deposited by the magnetron sputtering method. The structural characteristics of the tested films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, while the optical properties of the films were studied by the UV/VIS spectroscopy. Thickness and adhesion measurements of the obtained films were performed using the spectroscopic ellipsometry technique and the scratch test, respectively. The obtained research results showed the influence of the deposition process temperature on the morphology, crystallite size and adhesion of the thin films to the substrate. The effect of process temperature on optical properties, the value of the optical bandgap and crystal structures were analyzed and described. The results of this work have a meaning for the development of surface engineering and may serve as a clue in future studies in the field of modern photovoltaic structures.

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Influence of Annealing and Europium-Doping on the Structure and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Grown on Quartz Substrate by Magnetron Sputtering

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.687.667 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 687 ◽

pp. 667-672 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Q. Q. Dai ◽

L. Luo ◽

F. Y. Huang ◽

D. P. Xiong ◽

X.G. Tang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Energy Transfer ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Films ◽

Efficient Energy Transfer ◽

Axis Orientation ◽

Efficient Energy ◽

Doped Zno

ZnO and Eu-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on quartz substrates by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering from a ZnO and Eu-doped ZnO ceramic target respectively. The properties of thin films were characterized by atom force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence spectra (PL). XRD reveals that the prepared thin films possess a single crystalline hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with preferential c-axis orientation. Under above-bandgap excitation at room temperature, PL shows that ZnO films exhibit strong UV near-band-edge excitonic emission and Eu-doped ZnO thin films present UV emission and red emission from Eu3+ ions, demonstrating efficient energy transfer from the host to Eu3+ ions. The influence of annealing on the structure and optical properties of ZnO and Eu-doped ZnO thin films is studied. The efficient energy transfer from the host to Eu3+ and high luminous efficiency indicates that the prepared Eu-doped ZnO thin films are very promising materials for lighting and flat panel display application.

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Structural and optical properties of ZnO thin film prepared by sol-gel spin coating

Materials Science-Poland ◽

10.2478/msp-2020-0016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 17-22

Author(s):

G Balakrishnan ◽

Vivek Sinha ◽

Yogesh Palai Peethala ◽

Manoj Kumar ◽

R.J. Golden Renjith Nimal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Spin Coating ◽

Zinc Acetate Dihydrate ◽

Sol Gel ◽

Hexagonal Structure ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Films ◽

Structural And Optical Properties ◽

Vis Spectroscopy

AbstractZinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on Si (1 0 0) and glass substrates by sol-gel spin coating technique. Zinc acetate dihydrate, monoethanolamine and isopropanol were used as the sources for precursor solution and the resulting gel was used for the preparation of ZnO thin films. The films were annealed at different temperatures (100 °C to 500 °C) and the effect of annealing on the structural and optical properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used for the analysis of the films. The XRD results indicated the polycrystalline hexagonal structure of the ZnO films with (0 0 2) orientation. The optical properties of the films were studied using UV-Vis spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 190 – 1100 nm. The optical characterization of the ZnO thin films showed the high transmittance of ~90 % for the films annealed at 400 °C. The films showed the absorbance ~360 – 390 nm and bandgap values of 3.40 – 3.10 eV, depending on the annealing temperature of the films.

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Growth Conditions Effect on the Structure and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Synthesized by rf magnetron Sputtering

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-1165-m08-38 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 1165 ◽

Author(s):

Luis Angelats-Silva ◽

Maharaj S. Tomar ◽

Oscar Perales-Perez ◽

S. P. Singh ◽

Segundo R. Jauregui-Rosas

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Visible Region ◽

Rf Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Films ◽

Rf Power ◽

Substrate Distance

AbstractWe report a systematic study of the influence of the target-substrate distance and rf power on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films grown by rf magnetron sputtering in Ar atmosphere from ZnO sputtering target. Sharp (002) peak showed by XRD indicates a c-axis crystalline growth of ZnO films. Growth rate remained almost constant for short target-substrate distances. However, the grain size increases with the rf power decreasing the compressive stress in ZnO films. As-grown ZnO films have average transmittance more than 80% in the visible region. Optical bandgap (Eg) increases from 3.18 to 3.27 eV as increase the target-substrate distance probably due to low stress compression in ZnO films. In addition, when rf power is above 100 W, the optical band gap increases as increase of the stress compression.

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Optical properties and structural characteristics of ZnO thin films grown on a-plane sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Optics Communications ◽

10.1016/j.optcom.2012.06.059 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 285 (21-22) ◽

pp. 4431-4434 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Xinhua Pan ◽

Ping Ding ◽

Haiping He ◽

Jingyun Huang ◽

Bin Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Molecular Beam Epitaxy ◽

Molecular Beam ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Sapphire Substrates

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Effect of substrate temperature on the structural and optical properties of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering

Optics Communications ◽

10.1016/j.optcom.2008.10.003 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 282 (2) ◽

pp. 247-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 152

Author(s):

Xue-Yong Li ◽

Hong-Jian Li ◽

Zhi-Jun Wang ◽

Hui Xia ◽

Zhi-Yong Xiong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Substrate Temperature ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Dc Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Structural And Optical Properties ◽

Doped Zno

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ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ZnO THIN FILMS PREPARED BY R.F. MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

International Journal of Modern Physics B ◽

10.1142/s0217979211100357 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (20) ◽

pp. 2741-2749 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

J. C. ZHOU ◽

L. LI ◽

L. Y. RONG ◽

B. X. ZHAO ◽

Y. M. CHEN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Oxide Thin Film ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Thin Film ◽

Electrical And Optical Properties ◽

Axis Orientation ◽

Sputtering Power

High transparency and conductivity of transparent conducting oxide thin film are very important for improving the efficiency of solar cells. ZnO thin film is a better candidate for transparent conductive layer of solar cell. N-type ZnO thin films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on glass substrates. ZnO thin films underwent annealing treatment after deposition. The influence of the sputtering power on the surface morphology, the electrical and optical properties were studied by AFM, XRD, UV2450 and HMS-3000. The experimental results indicate that the crystal quality of ZnO thin film is improved and all films show higher c-axis orientation with increasing sputtering power from 50 to 125 W. The average transparency of ZnO thin films is higher than 90% in the range of 400–900 nm between the sputtering power of 50–100 W. After the rapid thermal annealing at 550°C for 300 s under N2 ambient, the minimum resistivity reach to 10-2Ω⋅ cm .

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Structural, Optoelectrical, Linear, and Nonlinear Optical Characterizations of Dip-Synthesized Undoped ZnO and Group III Elements (B, Al, Ga, and In)-Doped ZnO Thin Films

Crystals ◽

10.3390/cryst10040252 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 252 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. M. Alsaad ◽

A. A. Ahmad ◽

I. A. Qattan ◽

Qais M. Al-Bataineh ◽

Zaid Albataineh

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Grain Size ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Nonlinear Optical ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Films ◽

Optical Parameters ◽

Group Iii ◽

Doped Zno

Undoped ZnO and group III (B, Al, Ga, and In)-doped ZnO thin films at 3% doping concentration level are dip-coated on glass substrates using a sol-gel technique. The optical properties of the as-prepared thin films are investigated using UV–Vis spectrophotometer measurements. Transmittance of all investigated thin films is found to attain high values of ≥80% in the visible region. We found that the index of refraction of undoped ZnO films exhibits values ranging between 1.6 and 2.2 and approximately match that of bulk ZnO. Furthermore, we measure and interpret nonlinear optical parameters and the electrical and optical conductivities of the investigated thin films to obtain a deeper insight from fundamental and practical points of view. In addition, the structural properties of all studied thin film samples are investigated using the XRD technique. In particular, undoped ZnO thin film is found to exhibit a hexagonal structure. Due to the large difference in size of boron and indium compared with that of zinc, doping ZnO thin films with these two elements is expected to cause a phase transition. However, Al-doped ZnO and Ga-doped ZnO thin films preserve the hexagonal phase. Moreover, as boron and indium are introduced in ZnO thin films, the grain size increases. On the other hand, grain size is found to decrease upon doping ZnO with aluminum and gallium. The drastic enhancement of optical properties of annealed dip-synthesized undoped ZnO thin films upon doping with group III metals paves the way to tune these properties in a skillful manner, in order to be used as key candidate materials in the fabrication of modern optoelectronic devices.

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The effect of crystallinity on the surface modification and optical properties of ZnO thin films

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics ◽

10.1039/c9cp05464b ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 2010-2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Muhammad Abiyyu Kenichi Purbayanto ◽

Andrivo Rusydi ◽

Yudi Darma

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Surface Modification ◽

Vital Role ◽

Zno Thin Films ◽

Zno Films ◽

Structure Modification

The crystallinity of starting materials has a vital role in determining the structure modification and optical properties of ZnO films after H2 annealing.

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