Optical and electrical properties of H and V co-doped ZnO films sputtered at room temperature

Vanadium-doped ZnO (VZO) transparent conductive films have been prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering with a ceramic target (99 wt.% ZnO, 1 wt.% V2O5) in different Ar and H2 atmospheric conditions at room temperature. The influence of H2 flow rates on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of the VZO film were systematically investigated. The results indicate that H2 flow rate considerably influenced the above-mentioned properties of VZO films. Incorporation of an optimum amount H during the VZO film deposition process dramatically improved the crystallinity, average particle size, conductivity, and transmittance of the VZO films. H and V co-doped ZnO (HVZO) films with optimal electrical and optical properties, a resistivity of 9.26 × 10−4 Ω cm and an average transmittance of about 85% (from 400 to 1200 nm), were obtained at a H2 flow rate of 1.8 sccm.