Mechanical and structural characteristics of ZnO: Cu thin film

By using the pulsed laser deposition method, thin films of zinc oxide doped with copper were deposited in three proportions (3, 5, 7%), in addition to the change in the substrate temperature (200, 300, 400°C) and the laser energy used to extract atoms from the target (600, 700, 800 MJ). The focus of this research is on the mechanical properties represented by the hardness of the prepared films and the extent to which they are affected by these variables because of their great importance in knowing the preservation of the thin film on its durability during manufacture and use, as it was measured using the nanoindentation tests. In addition to the surface roughness, which was measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and knowing the nature of the crystallization of the films and the size of the crystals using X-ray diffraction (XRD), in addition to field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to know the shape and homogeneity of the thin film particle.