Effects of Zn Ratio Tuning on the Structural and Transport Properties of Amorphous Indium Zinc Tin Oxide Thin Films

Ke Ding Li, Kao Shuo Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, various indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) films were fabricated using co-sputtering to explore amorphous transparent conducting oxides as alternatives to crystalline indium tin oxide (ITO). Various Zn ratios were tuned to study their effects on the structural evolution of IZTO. Amorphous IZTO (aIZTO) films were obtained when the Zn concentration was higher than approximately 17 at.%. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses indicated that amorphous structures were formed due to the high crystallization temperatures of IZTO and nanocrystalline In2Zn5O8, which also caused aIZTO to exhibit small band gaps. On average, 87% transmittance was achieved in the visible light range. The aIZTO films had substantially higher transmittance in the infrared region than the ITO films did. Samples with Zn ratios between approximately 17 at.% and 27 at.% exhibited resistivity (approximately 3 × 10−4 Ω-cm), mobility (7 cm2 V1 s−1), and carrier concentrations (4 × 1021 cm−3) comparable to those of crystalline ITO. Thus, the aIZTO films are promising alternative TCO materials. The mechanisms of competition between the crystallinity, oxygen deficiency, high-mobility In2Zn5O8, and electron and hole generation rates were applied to shed light on the excellent electrical and transport properties of aIZTO films.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7336-7342
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Electronic Materials
Volume49
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020 Dec

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Materials Chemistry

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