Characteristics of ZnO thin film by ion-beam sputter deposition

Abstract

Zinc oxide films on glass substrates were deposited by ion-beam sputter deposition with changing oxygen/argon gas ratio, ion beam potential and substrate temperature. Physical properties of ZnO films such as crystallinity, composition and resistivity were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and Van der Pauw method, respectively. All the films show a strong preferred orientation with the c axis on glass substrate and electrical resistivity of the films is varied from 10(-3) to 10(6) Omega cm depending on the deposition conditions. The minimum resistivity of 10(-3) Omega cm was achieved by pure argon ion beam sputtering at room temperature and the resistivity raised with increasing oxygen ratio which means the mixed oxygen gas plays an important role in controlling the electrical resistivity of the films. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy are discussed in relation among chemical composition, resistivity and dependency of mixed oxygen amount.