Effect of Substrate Temperature Variation and Tartarization on micro-Structural and Optical Properties of Pulsed DC Sputtered Hydrogenated ZnO: Al Films

In this work, hydrogenated ZnO: Al films have been deposited on glass substrate by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering unit at various substrate temperatures. The effect of substrate temperature on microstructural and optical properties of deposited films in hydrogen and Argon ambient was analyzed. Transmittance of films improved for films deposited at higher substrate temperature and reflectance decrease which is good as transparent conducting oxide for solar cells application. The wet chemical etching of hydrogenated films was performed to improve the light trapping in films. Films deposited at 250 °C showed lower resistivity and higher roughness after wet chemical etching than films deposited at room temperature. Films deposited at 150 °C shows better films quality as well as lower resistivity than films deposited at room temperature and 250 °C. This suggests that film’s microstructural, optical and electrical properties behave differently in hydrogen gas ambient and hydrogen improve films quality and conductivity at lower temperature.