Effect of moving speed during in-line pulsed direct-current magnetron sputtering deposition on the structural and optical properties of Al-doped ZnO films

- AZO films were deposited by pulsed DC sputtering and compared to those of DC sputtering.
- The films were sputtered at various moving speeds of in-line dynamic and static modes.
- The films deposited at 120 cm/min showed prominent crystallinity similar to the static mode.
- The films deposited at 120 cm/min showed the advanced electrical and optical properties.

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were deposited on glass substrates with pulsed direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. Deposition was carried out in both static and dynamic modes. The pulsed DC sputtering process provided a stable deposition of AZO films without arcing, resulting in good crystallinity, unlike simple DC magnetron sputtering. The growth characteristics of the films sputtered on various moving speeds of the in-line dynamic mode are investigated and compared to those of the static mode. AZO films deposited at a moving speed of 120 cm/min showed a dominant (002) orientation, a smooth surface roughness, and a higher figure of merit (FOM), of which properties are similar to those of the static mode. Comparisons of the characteristics obtained at several moving speeds showed that better crystallinity was obtained at the higher moving speed of 120 cm/min. This improvement could be attributed to an averaging effect, which is due to more frequent interruption and initiation of the growth at the higher moving speed. Optical transmission characteristics were compared between the static and dynamic modes, and analyzed in terms of the complex indices of refraction and interference effects of light.