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Nucleation and Growth of Sputter Deposited Zno:Al Thin Films on Soda-Lime Glass Substrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

L. W. Rieth ,
P. H. Holloway  and
E. Lambers
L. W. Rieth
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611–6400, lriet@mse.ufl.edu, pholl@mse.ufl.edu
P. H. Holloway
Affiliation:
Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611–6400, lriet@mse.ufl.edu, pholl@mse.ufl.edu
E. Lambers
Affiliation:
Major Analytical Instrument Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611–6400, elamb@mse.ufl.edu
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Abstract

Degenerately doped thin films of zinc oxide are useful in a variety of applications, including front transparent contacts to Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells and flat panel displays. To gauge the influence of the interface on the performance of sputter deposited ZnO:AI transparent electrodes, the structure and electrical properties of the interfacial region has been investigated during nucleation and growth of the thin films. RF magnetron sputter deposited films with thicknesses ranging from ∼20 to 1580 Å were characterized using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), Hall measurements, and four point probe. AES spectra of the films with thickness between ∼20 and 60 Å exhibited clear Si (1619eV) peaks suggesting the thin films were discontinuous islands on the substrate. AFM micrographs indicated a distribution of hillocks on the surface which agrees with AES results, and suggest a Volmer-Webber nucleation and growth mechanism. Hall measurements indicated that the films had electron carrier concentrations on the order of 1019 to 1020/cm−3, mobilities of <10cm2V.s, and resistivities on the order of 10−2 to10−3Ω-cm depending on the film thickness. The possible impact of these results on solar cell performance is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 574: Symposia BB – Multicomponent Oxide Films for Electronics , 1999 , 205
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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