Room temperature preparation of high performance AZO films by MF sputtering

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films have been deposited by MF magnetron sputtering from a ceramic oxide target without heating the substrates. This study has investigated effects of sputtering power on the structural, electrical and optical properties of the AZO films. The films delivered a hexagonal wurtzite structure with (002) preferential orientation and uniform surface morphology with 27-33 nm grain size. The results indicate that residual stress and grain size of the AZO films are dependent on sputtering power. The minimum resistivity of 7.56 x 10(-4) Omega cm combined with high transmittance of 83% were obtained at deposited power of 1600 W. The films delivered the advantages of a high deposition rate at low substrate temperature and should be suitable for the fabrication of low-cost transparent conductive oxide layer. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.