Characteristics of aluminum-doped zinc oxide films with oxygen plasma treatment for solar cell applications

The influence of oxygen plasma treatment on the electro-optical and structural properties of aluminum-doped zinc oixde (AZO) films fabricated by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method were investigated. The films were exposed to various oxygen (O-2) plasma treatment conditions. The plasma was created in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. The resistivity, optical tranmittance, and work function of AZO films fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering was 5.6 x 10(-4) Omega . cm, 80%, and 4.6, repectively. The resistivity, optical trasmittance, and work function of the AZO films that were post-treated by O-2 plasma treatment showed 9.2 x 10(-4) Omega . cm, 82%, and 5.6, respectively. The resistivity, carrier concentration, and hall mobility properties of AZO films deteriorated with increasing O-2 plasma treatment power and time, whereas the work function and optical transmittance properties improved. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.