Sol-gel preparation of highly oriented gallium-doped zinc oxide thin films

Highly oriented gallium-doped zinc oxide films were prepared by the sot-gel method on fused quartz substrates from zinc acetate and gallium nitrate in a 2-methoxyethanol solution containing monoethanolamine. The effect of preparation parameters on the degree of preferred crystal orientation along zinc oxide (002) plane has been investigated. The resistivity of the films was measured as a function of dopant concentration and a minimum value of 6.3 x 10(-3) Omega cm was achieved in the films with 2 at.% gallium concentration after heat treatment in hydrogen at 600 degreesC. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.