Natively textured surface aluminum-doped zinc oxide transparent conductive layers for thin film solar cells via pulsed direct-current reactive magnetron sputtering

►Natively textured surface ZnO layers have been deposited via magnetron sputtering. ►These milky ZnO thin films present rough crater-like surface morphology. ►Natively textured surface can be tailored through the control of film thickness. ►Increasing thin-film thickness effectively enhances light-scattering capability. ►They are promising transparent conductive layers for thin film solar cells.