Elsevier

Thin Solid Films

Volume 135, Issue 2, 15 January 1986, Pages 183-187
Thin Solid Films

Electronics and optics
The stability of aluminium-doped ZnO transparent electrodes fabricated by sputtering

https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-6090(86)90125-2Get rights and content

Abstract

The stability of the electrical, optical and mechanical properties of sputtered aluminium-doped ZnO (AZO) films with a resistivity from 10-3 to 10-4 Ω cm was investigated. No significant change in these properties of AZO films was observed for use in air at room temperature for 1 year. It is shown that stable properties for use in vacuum and inert and nitrogen gases at temperatures as high as 400°C can be attained for AZO films sputtered with an Al2O3 content above 1.0 wt.%. After heat treatment in air at 400°C, the resistivity of AZO films increases by about five orders of magnitude. The resistivity can be returned to that of the as-deposited state by heat treatment in hydrogen gas at a temperature near 400°C.

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