Highly transparent and resistive nanocrystalline ZnO-SnO 2 films prepared by rf magnetron sputtering

Abstract

ZnO-SnO 2 films were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering using a ZnO-SnO 2 (2:1 molar ratio) target. The target was made from a mixture of ZnO and SnO 2 powders calcined at 800°C. The working pressure was 1 mTorr, and the rf power was 120 W. The ratio of oxygen to argon (O 2:Ar) was varied from 0% to 10%, and the substrate temperature was varied from 27°C to 300°C. The crystallographic properties and the surface morphologies of the films were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force spectroscopy (AFM). The ZnO-SnO 2 films deposited in O 2:Ar = 10% exhibited resistivity higher than 10 6 Ωcm and transmittance of more than 80% in the visible range.