Preparation and properties of Mg0.2Zn0.8O:Al UV transparent conducting thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature with rapid annealing

Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al UV transparent conducting thin films were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature with a rapid annealing process. Effects of sputtering power, argon gas pressure and annealing temperature on structure, optical and electrical properties of Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al films were investigated. The experimental results show that Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al thin films exhibit high preferred c -axis-orientation. The sputtering power, argon gas pressure and annealing temperature all exert a strong influence on the electrical resistivity of Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al thin films due to the variation of carrier concentration and mobility in films derived from the change of effective doping and crystallinity. The lowest electrical resistivity of Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al thin films is 3.5 × 10 −3 Ω·cm when the sputtering power is 200 W, the argon gas pressure is 2.0 Pa and the annealing temperature is above 500 °C. The transparent spectrum range of Mg 0.2 Zn 0.8 O:Al thin films extend to ultraviolet band and the optical transmittance is between 80 and 90%, but the sputtering power, argon gas pressure and annealing temperature all exert little influence on optical transmittance.