Fabrication of highly transparent Al-ion-implanted ZnO thin films by metal vapor vacuum arc method

In this study, we utilized the metal vapor vacuum arc technique to implant vaporized aluminum (Al) ions in zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films. By adjusting the ion implantation dose and operational parameters, the conductivity and optical properties of the ZnO thin film can be controlled. The electrical sheet resistance of Al-ion-implanted ZnO decreased from 3.02 × 107 to 3.03 × 104 Ω/sq, while the transparency of the film was mostly preserved (91.5% at a wavelength of 550 nm). The ZnO thin-film Young s modulus significantly increased with increasing Al ion dose.