Nanoscaled electrical homogeneity of indium zinc oxide films

Abstract

We are able to fabricate both polycrystalline and amorphous indium zinc oxide thin films. All the thin films exhibited an n -type semiconductor behavior with room-temperature conductivities in the range of 2.5× 103 -1.58× 103 (Ω cm)-1. A nanoscaled conductivity inhomogeneity was observed in polycrystalline films by means of conducting atomic force microscopy, with morphology effect excluded by simultaneous topographic mapping. This effect has been explained in the presence of highly conducting In2 O3 and Zn2 In2 O5 nano crystalline phases imbedded in amorphous matrix. On the other hand, excellent electrical homogeneity throughout the amorphous film was observed, suggesting its promising potential in microelectronic device applications. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.