Inhomogeneous optoelectronic and microstructure property distribution across the substrate of ZnO:Al films deposited by room temperature magnetron sputtering

Abstract Aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZAO) films were deposited by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering from a ZnO:Al 2 O 3 (3 wt.% Al 2 O 3 ) ceramic target at room temperature. In order to explore the inhomogeneous property distribution across the substrate, the films were deposited with varied substrate–target distances ( D s ) ranging from 2 cm to 9 cm. The experimental results obtained from four-point probe, spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer and Auger electronic spectrometer were analyzed to explore the nonuniform property distribution of the obtained ZAO films. The results confirmed that the films’ optoelectronic properties, crystallinity and surface morphology, etc., which were obtained from different substrate areas facing the target were remarkably different. It was revealed that the inhomogeneous property distribution was noticeably dependent on the D s . It was also suggested that the great difference of electrical conductivity among films from different substrate areas could not be ascribed to the difference of chemical composition, but might be explained by the distinctive crystallinity correspondingly. Films from different substrate regions with distinctive electrical characteristics were either (0 0 2) or (1 1 0) textured.