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Al-Doping of ZnO Thin Films Deposited by Spray Pyrolysis

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Abstract

Undoped and Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) layers, greatly transparent and with high mobility, have been prepared at low substrate temperature using a chemical reactive spray technique. The effect of aluminum incorporation in the zinc oxide (ZnO) lattice has been characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, electrical and optical measurements. AZO layers reveal a hexagonal wurtzite structure whose lattice parameter decreases with increasing Al content and whose crystal quality decreases for Al content higher than 2%. Low resistivity AZO films have been found for 3% Al content. Additionally, AZO layers exhibit a blue shift of the optical gap with the increase of Al content that is attributed to the Burstein–Moss effect due to the increase of the charge carrier concentration. A density of free electron greater than 2.0 × 1019 cm–3 is obtained for the AZO thin films with 5% Al. Our results encourage the use of AZO films deposited at a low temperature as electrodes and optical windows in photovoltaic devices.

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Funding

This work was supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) through grant ENE2016-77798-C4-2-R.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ERMAM-FPO, University of Ibn Zohr, 685324, Ouarzazate, Morocco

    M. Sahal

  2. IDF, Polytechnic University, Camí de Vera s/n, 46022, València, Spain

    B. Marí & F. J. Manjónc

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  1. M. Sahal
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Correspondence to M. Sahal.

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Sahal, M., Marí, B. & Manjónc, F.J. Al-Doping of ZnO Thin Films Deposited by Spray Pyrolysis. Russ. J. Inorg. Chem. 65, 932–939 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036023620060182

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