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Stability in a high humidity environment of TCO thin films deposited at low temperatures
Author(s) -
Minami Tadatsugu,
Kuboi Takeshi,
Miyata Toshihiro,
Ohtani Yuusuke
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.200622541
Subject(s) - materials science , thin film , crystallinity , crystallite , indium tin oxide , electrical resistivity and conductivity , grain boundary , substrate (aquarium) , composite material , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , microstructure , metallurgy , oceanography , engineering , geology , electrical engineering
The stability of transparent conducting Al‐ and Ga‐doped ZnO (AZO and GZO) thin films in a high humidity environment has been investigated for the purpose of finding substitutes for the indium‐tin‐oxide (ITO) thin films used in transparent electrode applications. It was found that the resistivity of polycrystalline AZO and GZO thin films prepared with a thickness in the range from 50 nm to 300 nm at a substrate temperature below 200 °C always increased when long‐term tests were conducted in air at a temperature of 60 °C and a relative humidity of 90%, whereas ITO thin films remained relatively stable in the same environment; however, AZO and GZO thin films with a thickness above approximately 200 nm were sufficiently moisture‐resistant. The resistivity stability of AZO and GZO thin films was considerably related to crystallinity factors such as crystallite size. In addition, the resistivity increase is attributed to carrier transport dominated by grain boundary scattering resulting from the trapping of free electrons due to oxygen adsorption on the grain boundary surface. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)