Indium doped zinc oxide thin films deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique: Effect of the substrate temperature on the physical properties

• Published in: Materials science in semiconductor processing Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 114 - 119
• Main Authors: Castañeda, L., Maldonado, A., Escobedo-Morales, A., Avendaño-Alejo, M., Gómez, H., Vega-Pérez, J., de la L. Olvera, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition; Electrical resistivity; Exact sciences and technology; Indium; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Morphology; 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; Semiconductors; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Spray coating techniques; Spray pyrolysis; Surface structure and topography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin films; Thin solid films; Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxide; Thin solid films; Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis; Electrical conductivity; II-VI compound; Surface morphology; Doped materials; Polycrystals; Indium additions; Indium oxide; Physical properties; Switching; Substrat temperature; Soda-lime glasses; Faceting; Surface structure; Thin films; Energy gap; Optical characteristic; Wurtzite structure; Absorption spectra; Microstructure; Optical constants
• ISSN: 1369-8001; 1873-4081
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2011.01.013

Indium doped zinc oxide (ZnO:In) thin solid films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The effect of the substrate temperature on the electrical, morphology, and optical characteristics of ZnO:In thin films was studied. It was found that, as the substrate temperature increases, the electrical resistivity decreases, reaching a minimum value in the order of 7.3×10 −3 Ω cm, at 415 °C. Further increase in the substrate temperature results on an increment on the electrical resistivity of the thin solid films. All the samples were polycrystalline with a well-defined wurtzite structure. The preferred growth shows a switching from a random orientation at low substrates temperatures to (0 0 2) in the case of films deposited at the highest substrate temperature used. As the substrate temperature increases, the corresponding surface morphology changes from an almost faceted pyramidal to round-shaped form. The optical transmittance of the films in a interval of 400 to 700 nm is around 70%, with a band gap value in the order of 3.45 eV.