Impurity-doped ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Physical Deposition Methods Appropriate for Transparent Electrode Applications in Thin-film Solar Cells

Abstract

This paper describes the development of transparent conducting impurity-doped ZnO thin films that would be appropriate for applications as transparent electrodes in thin-film solar cells. Transparent conducting Al-, B- and Ga-doped ZnO (AZO, BZO and GZO) thin films were prepared in a thickness range from 500 to 2000 nm on glass substrates at 200°C using various physical deposition methods: BZO films with vacuum arc plasma evaporation, AZO and GZO films with different types of magnetron sputtering depositions (MSDs) and all films with pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The suitability and stability of the electrical properties and, in addition, the suitability of the light scattering characteristics and surface texture formation were investigated in the prepared thin films. In particular, the suitability and stability evaluation was focused on the use of AZO, BZO and GZO thin films prepared by doping each impurity at an appropriate content to attain the lowest resistivity. The higher Hall mobility obtained in impurity-doped ZnO thin films with a resistivity on the order of 10−4 Ωcm was related more to the content, i.e., the obtained carrier concentration, rather than the kind of impurity doped into the films. The stability of resistivity of the BZO thin films in long-term moisture-resistance tests (in air at 85% relative humidity and 85°C) was found to be lower than that of the AZO and GZO thin films. The surface texture formation was carried out by wet-chemical etching (in a 0.1% HCl solution at 25°C) conducted either before or after being heat-treated either with rapid thermal annealing (RTA) or without RTA. The suitability of the light scattering characteristics and the surface texture formation obtainable by wet-chemical etching (for use in transparent electrode applications) was considerably dependent on the deposition method used as well as whether the wet-chemical etching was conducted with or without RTA. A significant improvement of both transmittance and haze value at wavelengths up to about 1200 nm in the near-infrared region was attained in surface-textured AZO films that were prepared by r.f. power superimposed d.c. MSD as well as etched after being heat treated with RTA at 500°C for 5 min in air. The obtained suitability and stability in impurity-doped ZnO thin films were related more to the content rather than the kind of impurity doped into the films as well as to the deposition method used.