Microstructure and micromorphology of ZnO thin films: Case study on Al doping and annealing effects

•We characterized three-dimensional surface texture analyis of Al:ZnO thin films.•We prepared thin films by means of (RF) sputtering method on the quartz substrates.•We used scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and fractal geometry.•We determined the Areal Autocorrelation Function (AACF) and pseudo-topothesy K.•We determined the functional, statistical and fractal surface properties of samples.

The aim of this work is to investigate the three-dimensional (3-D) surface texture of Aliminium doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films deposited by Radio Frequency sputtering method on the quartz substrates. Deposited samples were annealed under argon flux at three different temperatures: 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C, followed by gradual cooling down to room temperature. To characterize the structure of samples X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) spectra were applied. The Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) were applied to study the samples' surface morphology. Then statistical, fractal and functional surface characteristics were computed. The analysis of 3-D surface texture of AZO thin films is crucial to control the 3-D surface topography features and to correct interpretate the surface topographic parameters. It also allows understanding the relationship between 3-D the surface topography and the functional (physical, chemical and mechanical) properties of AZO thin films.

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