• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.480-492
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• 1996

AZO (Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide) transparent conducting thin films were fabricated by reactive DC mangnetron sputtering method using zinc target containing 2 wt% of Al. Transition range with optimum transmittance and conductivity was obtained by contrlling partial pressure of reactive oxygen gas. Sputtering condition for this transition range could be kept stable by regulating the target voltage. According to XRD analysis, there was only one peak for (002) plane in AZO films and the films deposited in transition range.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.82-83
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• 2008

AI doped ZnO (AZO) films, and intentionally Zn added AZO (ZAZO) films were prepared on Corning glass by rf magnetron sputtering, and the electrical, optical, and structural properties of the as-deposited films together with the air annealed films were investigated. The resistivity of the AZO films increased with increasing substrate temperature and having minimum resistivity at $150^{\circ}C$. At the high temperature, the ZAZO films showed improved electrical properties better than the AZO films due.to increase in both the carrier concentration and.the Hall mobility. Upon air annealing at $500^{\circ}C$, the resistivity of both AZO and ZAZO films increased substantially, but the relative amount of degradation was smaller for films deposited at $450^{\circ}C$ than the films deposited at $150^{\circ}C$.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.61.2-61.2
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 박막 태양전지용 투명전극으로 사용하기 위해서 Gun-type RF 마그네트론 스퍼트링을 이용하였다. 챔퍼안의 타겟은 AZO타겟(Zn: 98[wt.%], Al:2[wt.%]을 장착하였고 공정압력은 고진공을 유지하였다. 온도는 $300^{\circ}C$로 고정하였고 전력은 70W로 고정하였다. $Ar^+$ 가스유량비를 20sccm~100sccm으로 변화를 주어 기판 위에 AZO를 증착하여 AZO의 구조적 및 광학적 특성의 의존성을 알아보았다. 모든 가스변화에서 400에서 700 nm까지의 가시광 영역에서의 AZO 박막의 평균 투과도는 약 85% 이상의 우수한 투과율을 보인다. AZO 박막 내의 결정 구조는 (002)면으로 우선 배향을 하는 wurtzite 구조를 가지며, $Ar^+$변화에 의해 두께가 증가하면서 결정립의 주상 (columnar) 성장이 향상되고 결정립의 크기도 증가한다. 이러한 경향성은 $Ar^+$변화에 의해 결정성이 향상된다는 것을 의미한다. 이와 같은 구조 및 광학 특성을 가지는 유리 기판 위에 증착된 AZO는 박막 태양전지용 투명 전극으로 응용이 가능할 것이다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.186-186
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• 2010

액정디스플레이, 유기발광소자 및 태양전지에서 전도성 투명전극으로 indium-tin-oxide (ITO)가 일반적으로 많이 사용되고 있지만 인듐의 희소성과 유독성으로 인하여 ITO를 대체할 수 있는 물질에 대한 많은 연구가 현재 진행되고 있다. ITO 전극을 대체할 수 있는 물질 중에서 Al 도핑된 ZnO (AZO) 박막은 높은 전도성과 광학적 투과성 때문에 다양한 광전소자의 전극과 윈도우 물질로 많은 응용 가능성을 보여주고 있다. 본 연구에서는 여러 가지 스퍼터링 증착 조건에서 증착된 AZO 박막의 전기적특성과 광학적 특성을 조사하였다. 기준시료의 AZO 박막 증착 조건은 ZnO-2 wt.% $Al_2O_3$세라믹 타겟을 사용하였고 $250^{\circ}C$의 기판 온도에서 100 W 전력으로 5 mTorr의 진공 분위기에서 증착되었다. 최적의 AZO 박막 조건을 얻기 위해 증착 온도와 증착 챔버의 압력을 변화하면서 AZO 박막의 전기적 특성 변화와 광학적 특성 변화를 조사하였다. 4-포인트 프로브 측정과 홀 효과측정으로 각기 다른 조건에서 증착한 AZO 박막의 비저항과 전하농도 값을 비교 분석하였고 UV 스펙트로미터 측정을 통해서 AZO 박막의 투과율을 조사하였다. 스퍼터링 방법으로 증착된 AZO 박막은 높은 전도성과 광학적 투과성을 가지기 때문에 액정디스플레이, 유기발광소자 및 태양전지의 투명전극으로 사용할 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.652-657
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• 2015

We have investigated the properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films as functions of atomic layer deposition (ALD) oxidants. AZO transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) layer was deposited by ALD with adding trimethylaluminum (TMA) and diethylzinc (DEZn). AZO films were deposited at low temperature with $H_2O$ and $O_3$ as oxidants. Electrical, optical and structural properties of AZO thin films were investigated by 4-point probe, Hall effect measurement, UV-VIS, and AFM. Microstructure and atomic bonding states were investigated by HRXRD and XPS. The resistivity of AZO films grown using $H_2O$ was lower than the films grown using $H_2O$ and $O_3$, by approximately two orders of magnitude. The differences in oxygen vacancy peak intensity of AZO films were correlated to the optical and electrical properties.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.13 no.spc2
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• pp.407-410
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• 2012

The properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films were investigated as a function of H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratio using an AZO (2 wt% Al2O3) ceramic target in a radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering system. The deposition process was done at 200 ℃ and in 2 × 10-2Torr working pressure and with various ratios of H2/(Ar + H2) gas. During the AZO film deposition process, partial H2 gas affected the AZO film characteristics. The electron resistivity (~ 9.21 × 10-4 Ωcm) was lowest and mobility (~17.8 ㎠/Vs) was highest in AZO films when the H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratio was 2.5%. When the H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratio was increased above 2.5%, the electron resistivity increased and mobility decreased with increasing H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratio in AZO films. The carrier concentration increased with increasing H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratio from 0% to 7.5%. This phenomenon was explained by reaction of hydrogen and oxygen and additional formation of oxygen vacancy. The average optical transmission in the visible light wavelength region over 90% and an orientation of the deposition was [002] orientation for AZO films grown with all H2/(Ar + H2) gas ratios.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.201.2-201.2
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• 2013

원자층 증착법(ALD)을 통해 최적의 Al doped ZnO (AZO)박막을 얻기 위해 기판온도와 Al도핑농도 등의 공정변수를 조절하여 최적의 성막 조건 연구특성을 분석하였다. 증착당시 Zn와 Al의 precursors는 diethylzinc(DEZ), trimethylaluminum(TMA)을 각각 사용하였으며, reactants로는 Deionized water를 사용하였다. DEZ와 TMA의 증착비율을 통하여 1%에서 12%까지 Al의 도핑농도를 조절하였다. 이후 Hall effect measurement를 이용하여 기판온도와 Al도핑농도에 따른 AZO박막의 운반자 농도, 이동도, 저항을 분석했고, X-ray diffraction을 통하여 물리적 구조의 변화를 관측했다. 공정 최적화를 통하여 Al도핑농도의 변화가 AZO박막의 전기적 특성에 미치는 영향을 해석하였다. 또한, 공정의 최적화 이후 AZO박막을 나노 구조체 석영(quartz)기판위에 250도의 온도에서 Al ~3%의 농도로 10nm부터 150nm까지의 두께로 증착하였다. SEM 분석을 통해 나노 구조체 기판에 균일한 AZO 박막이 형성되었는지 확인하였고, AZO박막의 두께에 따른 전기적 특성 및 광 투과도를 측정한 결과 나노구조체 석영 기판위에 증착된 AZO박막은 가시광선 영역에서 80%이상의 광 투과도를 보였으며 ${\sim}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$의 저항을 보였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.785-787
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• 2002

Conductivity and transmittancy of ZnO is very excellent and the price is low. So the study of transparent electrode materials and electromagnetic wave shielding wall is actively in progress. We add $Al_2O_3$(0.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0wt%) to ZnO and observe microscopic structure and conductivity. For XRD observation, Al peak of AZO is increased by increasing the amount of $Al_2O_3$. We observe that the size of grain is reduced by increasing the liquid phase of grain boundary to SEM observation. Conductivity of AZO is increased by increasing the amount of $Al_2O_3$. We confirm the application possibility of the materials for electromagnetic wave reflection materials.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.592-598
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• 1998

AZO(Aluminum doped Zinc Oxide) thin films were fabricated by reactive DC magnetron sputtering method using zinc metal target (Al 2%) and zinc oxide target ($Al_2O_3\;2%$) respectively. The intermediate condition with optimum transmittance and conductivity was obtained by controlling the sputtering parameters. Oxygen gas ratio for this condition was $0.5{\times}10^{-2}~1.0{\times}10^{-2}$ in oxide target and. In case of metal target, this optimum oxygen gas ratio at the applied power of 0.6 kW and 1.0 kW was 0.215~0.227 and 0.305~0.315, respectively. The resistivity of AZO film deposited was obtained $1.2~1.4{\times}10^{-3} {\Omega}{\cdot}$cm as deposited state regardless of target species.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.469-475
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• 2013

Al-doped ZnO(AZO) thin films were synthesized using atomid layer deposition(ALD), which acurately controlled the uniform film thickness of the AZO thin films. To investigate the electrical and optical properites of the AZO thin films, AZO films using ALD was controlled to be three different thicknesses (50 nm, 100 nm, and 150 nm). The structural, chemical, electrical, and optical properties of the AZO thin films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emssion scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Hall measurement system, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. As the thickness of the AZO thin films increased, the crystallinity of the AZO thin films gradually increased, and the surface morphology of the AZO thin films were transformed from a porous structure to a dense structure. The average surface roughnesses of the samples using atomic force microscopy were ~3.01 nm, ~2.89 nm, and ~2.44 nm, respectively. As the thickness of the AZO filmsincreased, the surface roughness decreased gradually. These results affect the electrical and optical properties of AZO thin films. Therefore, the thickest AZO thin films with 150 nm exhibited excellent resistivity (${\sim}7.00{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$), high transmittance (~83.2 %), and the best FOM ($5.71{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}^{-1}$). AZO thin films fabricated using ALD may be used as a promising cadidate of TCO materials for optoelectronic applications.