Realization of high transparent conductive vanadium-doped zinc oxide thin films onto flexible PEN substrates by RF-magnetron sputtering using nanopowders targets

RF-magnetron sputtering has been carried out at room temperature to deposit vanadium-doped zinc oxide (VZO) nanostructured thin films onto flexible PEN substrates. The sputtering targets of compacted VZO nanopowder have been prepared using a rapid and inexpensive Sol-Gel synthesis followed by a supercritical drying process. Structural and morphological study of VZO particles in the targets has been carried out via X-ray diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The nanostructured thin films have been characterized to analyze the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties as a function of vanadium content from 0 to 4 at.%. Structural characterization of VZO thin films revealed that the deposited thin films have been grown preferentially along (002) and exhibit the hexagonal wurtzite structure. The cross-sectional and microstructural analysis performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirms the columnar growth of nanostructures. The deposited thin films exhibit transparent behavior with transmission >70% in the visible region. It has been observed that nanostructured thin films with vanadium content of 2% have demonstrated the lowest resistivity (6.71 x 10(-4) Omega cm) with Hall mobility of 10.62 cm(2) V-1 s(-1). The deposited vanadium doped nanostructured thin films would have potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Automated summary

RF-magnetron sputtering was used to deposit VZO nanostructured thin films on flexible PEN substrates at room temperature. The thin films with 2% vanadium content showed the lowest resistivity and a Hall mobility of 10.62 cm(2) V-1 s(-1). These nanostructured thin films exhibit over 70% transmission in the visible region and have potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.