• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.629-635
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• 2010

Abstract In this study characteristics of Al-doped ZnO thin film by HIPIMS (High power impulse sputtering) are discussed. Deposition speed of HIPIMS with conventional balanced magnetic field is measured at about 3 nm/min, which is 30% of that of conventional RF sputtering process with the same working pressure. To generate additional magnetic flux and increase sputtering speed, electromagnetic coil is mounted at the back side of target. Under unbalanced magnetic flux from electromagnet with 1.5A coil current, deposition speed of AZO thin film is increased from 3 nm/min to 4.4 nm/min. This new value originates from the decline of particles near target surface due to the local magnetic flux going toward substrate from electromagnet. AZO film sputtered by HIPIMS process shows very smooth and dense film surface for which surface roughness is measured from 0.4 nm to 1 nm. There are no voids or defects in morphology of AZO films with varying of magnetic field. When coil current is increased from 0A to 1A, transmittance of AZO thin film decreases from 80% to 77%. Specific resistance is measured at about $2.9{\times}10-2\Omega{\cdot}cm$. AZO film shows C-axis oriented structure and its grain size is calculated at about 5.3 nm, which is lower than grain size in conventional sputtering.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.123-123
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• 2015

Al doped ZnO(AZO) films as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode were deposited on glass, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at room temperature by a conventional rf-magneton sputtering (CMS) and a facing target sputtering (FTS) using Al2O3 and ZnO targets. In order to investigation of AZO properties, the structural, surface morphology, electrical, and optical characteristics of AZO films were respectively analyzed. The resistivities of AZO films using FTS system were $6.50{\times}10-4{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on glass, $7.0{\times}10-4{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on PEN, and $7.4{\times}10-4{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on PET substrates, while the values of AZO films using CMS system were $7.6{\times}10-4{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on glass, $1.20{\times}10-3{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on PEN, and $1.58{\times}10-3{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ on PET substrates. The AZO-films deposited by FTS system showed uniform surface compared to those of the films by CMS system. We thought that the films deposited by FTS system had low stress due to bombardment of high energetic particles during CMS process, resulted in enhanced electrical conductivity and crystalline quality by highly c-axis preferred orientation and closely packed nano-crystalline of AZO films using FTS system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.168-168
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• 2012

Al doped ZnO (AZO)는 태양전지, 평판 디스플레이, OELD 등 광전자 소자에 적용되는 투명전도막용 재료인 ITO의 대체 재료로서 최근에 가장 각광받고 있는 물질이다. 하지만, $2.5{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$의 낮은 비저항과 90% 이상의 투과도를 갖는 ITO의 비해 AZO의 특성은 아직 부족한 상황이다. 수십 년간 많은 연구자들에 의해 다양한 제조 방법과 공정 조건들로 전기적, 광학적 특성을 향상시키기 위한 노력들이 진행되어 왔다. 하지만 실리콘 반도체와는 달리 II-VI족 물질의 정확한 근본적인 원리는 아직 불분명한 상태이다. 지금까지 AZO의 특성 향상의 원인을 결정립 크기, 주상구조의 우선 방위, 결정성, Zn-O 구조내의 산소 결핍 등의 메커니즘으로 설명해 왔다. 하지만, 본 연구에서는 지금까지 제안된 상기 요인의 변화 없이 전기적, 광학적 특성을 향상시키는 것이 짧은 열처리만으로도 가능했다. AZO 박막의 전기적, 광학적 특성에 큰 영향을 미치는 보다 근본적인 원인은 도핑 효율이다. ZnO 내에 도핑된 Al의 양보다 실제로로 활성화된 Al의 비율을 올리는 것이 중요하다. 본 연구에서 구조적, 조성적 변화 없이 도핑효율을 8.9%에서 66.7%까지 증가시켰으며, 이동도는 박막 표면의 및 결정립계 사이의 과잉산소를 줄임으로서 optical phonon scattering 감소를 통하여 증가시킬 수 있고, 이러한 과잉산소의 감소는 deep level emission을 감소시킴으로서 투과도 증가에도 영향을 준다. 본 연구에서 짧은 열처리를 통해 구조적 변화 없이 도핑효율의 증가만으로 $4.8{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$의 비저항과 90%의 투과도를 갖는 AZO 박막을 제조하였다.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1999.06a
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• pp.283-286
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• 1999

Transparent conductive aluminum-doped ZnO(AZO) films Were prepared by a ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method at the substrate temperature below 23$0^{\circ}C$. A vertical type hot wall furnace was used as a reactor in the deposition system. Zinc acetate dissolved in methanol was selected as a precursor. The substrate temperature was varied from 18$0^{\circ}C$to 24$0^{\circ}C$. Aluminum (Al) was doped into ZnO films by incorporating anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl$_3$) in the zinc acetate solution. The proportion of the Al in the starting solution was varied from 0 wt % to 3.0 wt %. The crystallographic properties and surface morphologies of the films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The resistivity of the films was measured by the Van der Pauw method, and the mobility and carrier concentration were obtained through the Hall effect measurements Transmittance was measured in the visible region. The effects of substrate temperature and aluminum content in the starling solution on the structural and electrical properties of the AZO films are discussed

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.889-894
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• 2001

2wt% $Al_2O_3-doped$ ZnO (AZO) thin films were deposited on sapphire (0001) single crystal substrate by parellel type rf magnetron sputtering at 55$0^{\circ}C$. The as-grown AZO thin films was polycrystalline and showed only broad deep defect-level photoluminescence (PL). In order to examine the change of PL property, AZO thin films were annealed in $N_2$ (N-AZO) and $H_2$ (H-AZO) at the temperature of $600^{\circ}C$~$1000^{\circ}C$ through rapid thermal annealing. After annealed at $800^{\circ}C$, N-AZO shows near band edge emission (NBE) with very small deep-level emission, and then N-AZO annealed at $900^{\circ}C$ shows only sharp NBE with 219 meV FWHM. In Comparison with N-AZO, H-AZO exhibits very interesting PL features. After $600^{\circ}C$ annealing, deep defect-level emission was quire quenched and NBE around 382 nm (3.2 eV) was observed, which can be explained by the $H_2$passivation effect. At elevated temperature, two interesting peaks corresponding to violet (406 nm, 3.05 eV) and blue (436 nm, 2.84 eV) emission was firstly observed in AZO thin films. Moreover, peculiar PL peak around 694 nm (1.78 eV) is also firstly observed in all the H-AZO thin films and this is believed good evidence of hydrogenation of AZO. Based on defect-level scheme calculated by using the full potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FP-LMTO), the emission 3.2 eV, 3.05 eV, 3.84 eV and 1.78 eV of H-AZO are substantially deginated as exciton emission, transition from conduction band maximum to $V_{ Zn},$ from $Zn_i$, to valence band maximum $(V_{BM})$ and from $V_{o} to V_BM}$, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.420-420
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• 2012

ZnO seed layer were deposited on quartz substrate by sol-gel method and prism-like Al-doped ZnO nanorods (AZO nanorods) were grown on ZnO seed layer by hydrothermal method with various Al concentration ranging from 0 to 2.0 at.%. Structural and optical properties of the AZO nanorods were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL). The diameter of the AZO nanorods was smaller than undoped ZnO nanorods and its diameter of the AZO nanorods decreased with increasing Al concentration. In XRD spectrum, it was observed that stress and full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the AZO nanorods decreased and the 'c' lattice constant increased as the Al concentration increased. From undoped ZnO nanorods, it was observed that the green-red emission peak of deep-level emission (DLE) in PL spectra. However, after Al doping, not only a broad green emission peak but also a blue emission peak of DLE were observed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.259-264
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• 2009

In this study we investigated the effect of the multi-step texturing process on the electrical and optical properties of hydrogenated Al-doped zinc oxide (HAZO) thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering. AZO films on glass were prepared by changing the $H_2/(Ar+H_2)$ ratio at a low temperature of $150^{\circ}C$. The prepared HAZO films showed lower resistivity and higher carrier concentration and mobility than those of non-hydrogenated AZO films. After deposition, the surface of the HAZO films was multi-step textured in diluted HCl (0.5%) for the investigation of the change in the optical properties and the surface morphology due to etching. As a result, the HAZO film fabricated under the type III condition showed excellent optical properties with a haze value of 52.3%.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.47.2-47.2
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• 2011

High-efficient transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film-embedding Si heterojunction solar cells were fabricated. An improved crystalline indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film was grown on an Al-doped ZnO (AZO) template upon hetero-epitaxial growth. This double TCO-layered Si solar cell provided significantly enhanced efficiency of 9.23 % as compared to the single TCO/Si devices. The effective arrangement of TCO films (ITO/AZO) provides a good interface, resulting in the enhanced photovoltaic performances. It discusses TCO film arrangement scheme for efficient TCO-layered heterojunction solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.213-213
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• 2010

We investigated the RF sputtering conditions for the deposition of AZO (Al doped ZnO) transparent conducting film on PET using the roll to roll vacuum coater. AZO thin films, sputtered at the various RF powers and working pressures, were studied for their structural, electrical and optical properties.. From the X-Ray diffraction patterns, we calculated the lattice stress using the Bragg equation. The compressive stress tends to decrease with the increase in film thickness. AZO thin film with the thickness of 152nm (1400W, 0.4Pa) exhibit the resistivity of $3.92*10-3{\Omega}/cm$ and the transmittance of 96.9% at 550nm.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2012

Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin film was deposited by using Facing Target Sputtering (FTS) system. This work examined the properties of AZO thin film as a function of the substrate temperature. The sputtering targets were 4 inch diameter disks of AZO (ZnO : $Al_2O_3$ = 98 : 2 wt.% ). The properties of electrical, structural and optical were investigated by 4-point probe, Hall effect measurement, x-ray diffractometer (XRD), field-emitting scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and UV/VIS spectrometer. The lowest resistivity of films was $5.67{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}.cm$ and the average optical transmittance of the films was above 85% in the visible range.