Effect of composition and deposition temperature on the characteristics of Ga doped ZnO thin films

ZnO films doped with Ga (GZO) of varying composition were prepared on Corning glass substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at various deposition temperatures of room temperature, 150, 250 and 400 degrees C, and their temperature dependent photoelectric and structural properties were correlated with Ga composition. With increasing deposition temperature, the Ga content, at which the lowest electrical resistivity and the best crystallinity were observed, decreased. Films with optimal electrical resistivity of 2-3x10(-4) Omega cm and with good crystallinity were obtained in the substrate temperature range from 150 to 250 degrees C, and the corresponding C-Ga/(C-Ga + C-Zn) atomic ratio was about 0.049. GZO films grown at room temperature had coarse columnar structure and low optical transmittance, while films deposited at 400 degrees C yielded the highest figure of merit (FOM) due to very low optical absorption despite rather moderate electrical resistivity slightly higher than 4 x 10(-4) Omega cm. The optimum Ga content at which the maximum figure of merit was obtained decreased with increasing deposition temperature. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.