Highly Conducting and Very Thin ZnO:Al Films with ZnO Buffer Layer Fabricated by Solid Phase Crystallization from Amorphous Phase

We propose a novel method of oxide crystal growth via atomic-additive mediated amorphization. By utilizing this method, solid-phase crystallization (SPC) of ZnO from amorphous phase has been successfully demonstrated via nitrogen atom mediation. The resultant SPC-ZnO films are highly orientated and the crystallinity is higher than that of the films prepared by conventional sputtering. By using the SPC-ZnO as a buffer layer, the resistivity of ZnO:Al (AZO) films is drastically decreased. 20-nm-thick AZO films with a resistivity of 5 x 10(-4) Omega cm and an optical transmittance higher than 80% in a wide wavelength range of 400-2500 nm have been obtained. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics