Effect of Substrate Temperature on High Rate Deposited ZnO:Al Films by Magnetron Sputtering

A series of ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films was prepared on quartz at different substrate temperature using magnetron sputtering with high deposited rate of 67 nm/min. The structural, electrical and optical properties of these films were investigated as a function of substrate deposition temperature ranging from room temperature to 500 °C. The surface micrograph of AZO film deposited at room temperature was measured by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM). The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) test show that all the films have a (002) preferential orientation. The best electrical property was obtained at 500 °C, the resistivity was 9.044×10-4 ohm•cm, and the corresponding carrier concentration and mobility were 3.379×1020 /cm3 and 20.45 m2/Ns, respectively. What's more, all the films show a high optical transmittance.