Low resistivity transparent conducting Al-doped ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

A series of AZO films were grown on glass substrates by a method of pulsed laser deposition using a split target divided into AZO (Al2O3: 1 wt.%) and AZO (Al2O3: 2 wt.%). The film deposition took place at a substrate temperature of 230 degreesC within a magnetic field applied perpendicularly to the plume. To suppress the droplet generation caused by the intense laser energy, the laser energy density was reduced to 0.75 J/cm(2) (15 mJ). For an approximately 280-nm thick-AZO film grown at a target-to-substrate distance of 25 mm, we obtained the lowest resistivity of 8.54 x 10(-5) Omega.cm and an average transmittance of more than 88% in the visible range. In the cross-sectional TEM observation and XRD spectra, the regularity in the crystal growth was generated immediately from the interface between the substrate and the film. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.