Preparation and characterization of n-type conductive (Al, Co) co-doped ZnO thin films deposited by sputtering from aerogel nanopowders

• Published in: Applied surface science 2007-11, Vol.254 (2), p.570-573
• Main Authors: El Mir, L., Ayadi, Z. Ben, Saadoun, M., Djessas, K., von Bardeleben, H.J., Alaya, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electrical properties of specific thin films and layer structures (multilayers, superlattices, quantum wells, wires, and dots); Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanostructures; Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity); Optical constants: refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physics; Sol–gel method; Sputtering; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Transparent conductive oxide (TCO); Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2007.06.028

Highly transparent, n-type conducting ZnO thin films were obtained by low temperature magnetron sputtering of (Co, Al) co-doped ZnO nanocrystalline aerogels. The nanoparticles of ∼30 nm size were synthesized by a sol–gel method using supercritical drying in ethyl alcohol. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated. The ZnO films were polycrystalline textured, preferentially oriented with the (0 0 2) crystallographic direction normal to the film plane. The films show within the visible wavelength region an optical transmittance of more than 90% and a low electrical resistivity of 3.5 × 10 −4 Ω cm at room temperature.