The effects of the post-annealing with a Zn cap on the structural and electrical properties of sol-gel derived MgxZn1-xO films

Structural and electrical properties of Al-doped MgxZn1-xO films were improved by post-annealing with supplying Zn vapor. The Al-doped MgxZn1-xO films were deposited on glass substrates by a sol-gel method. The substrates were dip-coated with a precursor solution and were dried on a hotplate at 270 degrees C for 10 min. This dip-coating and drying process was repeated 10 times, and the Al-doped MgxZn1-xO films were obtained after calcination in air at 500 degrees C for 1 h. The as-grown films were post-annealed in H-2 at 400 degrees C for 20 min. To supply zinc vapor, a glass slide with a thermally evaporated Zn layer (Zn cap) was put on the sample surface during the post-annealing. The as-grown films had the wurtzite structure with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate surface, but the intensity of the (002) diffraction peak decreased with increasing Mg content (x). The crystallinity of the films was improved after the post-annealing with a Zn cap, which was observed when x was below 0.1. The resistivity and carrier concentration of the film (x = 0.1) after the post-annealing with a Zn cap was 6.0 x 10(-3) omega cm and 5.7 x 10(19) cm(-3), respectively. On the other hand, the resistivity of the film (x = 0.1) after the post-annealing without a Zn cap was 6.6 x 10(2) omega cm. Transmittance spectra in the visible range were not affected by the post-annealing. The optical bandgap of the film (x = 0.1) after the post-annealing with a Zn cap was 3.41 eV.

Automated summary

The post-annealing with supplying Zn vapor improved the crystallinity and electrical properties of Al-doped MgxZn1-xO films. Films treated with a Zn cap during post-annealing showed significantly increased resistivity and carrier concentration, with an optical bandgap of 3.41 eV.