Muscovite mica as a flexible substrate for transparent conductive AZO thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis

In this study, Aluminum doped and undoped ZnO transparent conductive oxide thin films on a specific substrate, i.e., the muscovite mica sheet, were prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique. The substrate was used in this study for its unique properties, namely simultaneous flexibility and high thermal stability. The effects of doping on structural, morphological, optical and electrical characteristics of the samples were investigated and discussed. The obtained thin films were mostly polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure. UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis showed high average transparency (more than 80%) in visible and near-infrared region. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis proved the homogenous morphology of the films and showed their resistivity to be in the range of 10−3 Ω cm.