Preparation and properties of transparent conducting zinc oxide and aluminium-doped zinc oxide films prepared by evaporating method

Undoped and aluminium-doped zinc oxide films have been prepared by thermal evaporation of zinc acetate [Zn(CH3COO)2 2H2O] and aluminium chloride [AlCl3] onto a heated glass substrate. The structural and optoelectrical properties of the films have been studied. The effects of heat treatment for the as-deposited films in air and vaccum are investigated. Highly transparent films with conductivity as low as 2×10−3 Ω cm can be produced by controlling the deposition parameters. The electron carrier densities are in the range 0.2–7×1019 cm−3 with mobilities of 22–58 cm2 V−1 s−1.