Characterization of Zn1 − xMgxO transparent conducting thin films fabricated by multi-cathode RF-magnetron sputtering

Transparent conducting thin films of Al-doped and Ga-doped Zn1 − xMgxO with arbitrary Mg content x were deposited on glass substrates by simultaneous RF-magnetron sputtering of doped ZnO and MgO targets, and their fundamental properties were characterized. MgO phase separation in Zn1 − xMgxO films was not detected by X-ray diffraction. The Zn1 − xMgxO films show high optical transparency in the visible region. Although the carrier density of the Zn1 − xMgxO films decreased with increasing x, the Zn1 − xMgxO films showed good electrical conductivity; electrical resistivity as low as 8 × 10− 4 Ω ·cm was achieved for the Zn0.9Mg0.1O:Ga thin film.