Study on the electrical, optical, structural, and morphological properties of highly transparent and conductive AZO thin films prepared near room temperature

摘要： A correlation study between the microstructural, electrical, optical, and morphological properties of the highly transparent and conductive Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films of varying thickness deposited by 3D confined DC magnetron sputtering is reported. Incorporating a high-density plasma environment as indicated by plasma diagnostic it was possible to fabricate AZO films of resistivity as low as ~ 5.2×10-4 Ωcm and the maximum transmittance ~ 89 % with well crystalline structured and smooth morphology at low-temperature. Correlation among the film properties reveals the possibility of filling the Zn atom in the Zn vacancy could be responsible for preparing AZO thin film with improved microstructure and high enrichment of carrier mobility and concentration.