Effects of molybdenum doping and thermal annealing on the physical properties of amorphous In–Zn–O films

•The effects of Mo doping and thermal annealing on a-IZO films were studied.•The carrier mobility of Mo-doped a-IZO films was enhanced by thermal annealing.•The optical bandgap of a-IZO films was unaffected by Mo doping.•Ferromagnetism was observed in Mo-doped a-IZO films after annealing.

Amorphous In–Zn–O (a-IZO) films doped with Mo were prepared on glass substrates by using magnetron co-sputtering technique. The Mo concentration was controlled by varying the sputtering power applied on the Mo target. The effects of Mo doping and thermal annealing on the electrical, optical and magnetic properties of the a-IZO films were studied. The electrical properties of a-IZO films were found to be strongly affected by Mo doping and thermal annealing. The optical transmission near the absorption edge of a-IZO films is enhanced by Mo doping due to the decrease in reflection. The optical bandgap estimated to be 3.2 eV of a-IZO films is unaffected by Mo doping and thermal annealing. Moreover, some of Mo-doped films exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetism after annealing.

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