Low temperature rf-sputtered In and Al co-doped ZnO thin films deposited on flexible PET substrate

Abstract Owing to huge developments in the electronics industry, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films have attracted considerable attention for application in flat panel displays and solar cells. Many different types of ZnO-based TCO films have been proposed to replace the rare and expensive indium tin oxide. Until now, Al-doped ZnO thin film has been the most promising alternative material owing to its cheap processing cost and chemical stability. In this research, to enhance the transparency and electrical properties of a TCO thin film, In and Al co-doped ZnO thin films were rf-sputtered onto a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate in a low-temperature atmosphere under 200 °C. The structural characteristics of the thin films are determined via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The electrical and optical properties are analyzed using a four-point probe and a UV–vis spectrophotometer, respectively.