Influence of ZnO Thickness on the Optical and Electrical Properties of GZO/ZnO Bi-layered Films

100 nm thick Ga doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were deposited with RF magnetron sputtering on polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) and ZnO coated PET substrate and then the effect of the ZnO thickness on the optical andelectrical properties of the GZO films was investigated. GZO single layer films had an optical transmittance of 83.7%in the visible wavelength region and a sheet resistance of 2.41 Ω/□, while the optical and electrical properties of theGZO/ZnO bi-layered films were influenced by the thickness of the ZnO buffer layer. GZO films with a 20 nm thick ZnObuffer layer showed a lower sheet resistance of 1.45 Ω/□ and an optical transmittance of 85.9%. As the thickness ofZnO buffer layer in GZO/ZnO bi-layered films increased, both the conductivity and optical transmittance in the visiblewavelength region were increased. Based on the figure of merit (FOM), it can be concluded that the ZnO buffer layereffectively increases the optical and electrical performance of GZO films as a transparent and conducting electrodewithout intentional substrate heating or a post deposition annealing process. KCI Citation Count: 1