Fabrication of highly (1000) oriented textured zinc oxide films by metal cathodic arc and oxygen dual plasma deposition and their optical properties

Highly (1000) oriented ZnO films were successfully grown onto silicon substrates using a dual plasma deposition process incorporating a metal cathodic arc source and oxygen ambient. The optical properties of a series of ZnO films deposited on quartz using similar conditions were investigated using UV–visible spectrophotometry, and the effects on the band gap were investigated. The absorption of C-excitons resulting in a blue-shift of the band gap at room temperature is accentuated due to strong absorption at higher energy for light polarized (E // c) in the highly (1000) oriented ZnO film.