High performance flexible transparent conductive electrode based on ZnO/AgOx/ZnO multilayer

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the optoelectrical properties of hybrid electrodes based on ZnO/Ag(or AgOx)/ZnO multilayer structures. ZnO/Ag/ZnO and ZnO/AgOx/ZnO multilayer films were prepared with the sputtering technique at room temperature. To evaluate the effect of thickness and oxidation of a middle Ag layer on the structural, electrical, and optical properties, the thickness and oxygen concentration of the mid-layer film were varied from 6 to 16 nm and from 0 to 2.1 at.%, respectively. Differences in the structural and opto-electrical characteristics of these hybrid electrodes were analyzed using several analytical techniques, including scanning electron microcopy, ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry, four-point probe, and Hall effect measurement. The characteristics of these ZnO/Ag(or AgOx)/ZnO multilayer films depended on the thickness and oxygen concentration of the mid-layer film. Haccke's figure of merit of a ZnO(30 nm)/AgOx(12 nm, oxygen 1.5 at.%)/ZnO(30 nm) electrode was calculated to be 24.53 × 10−3 Ω−1, with sheet resistance and average transmittance (λ = 400–800 nm) of 86.53 % and 9.59 Ω/sq, respectively.