Preparation of transparent conducting B-doped ZnO films by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

Abstract

Highly transparent and conductive B-doped ZnO (BZO) thin films have been prepared by a newly developed vacuum arc plasma evaporation method that provided high-rate film depositions using sintered BZO pellets and fragments. The obtained electrical and optical properties of the deposited BZO thin films were considerably affected by the deposition conditions as well as the preparation method of the BZO pellets and fragments used. The lowest thin film resistivity was obtained with a B doping content [B∕(B+Zn) atomic ratio] of approximately 1at.%. A resistivity as low as 5×10−4Ωcm and an average transmittance above about 80% in the wavelength range of 400–1300nm were obtained in BZO films prepared with a thickness above approximately 400nm at a substrate temperature of 200°C. In addition, a low resistivity of 7.97×10−4Ωcm and average transmittances above about 80% in the visible wavelength range were obtained in a BZO film prepared at a substrate temperature of 100°C and an O2 gas flow rate of 10SCCM (SCCM denotes cubic centimeter per minute at STP). The deposition rate of BZO films was typically 170nm∕min with a cathode plasma power of 4.5kW.