Aluminum-doped zinc oxide film with gradient property deposited at oblique angle

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide films were prepared using electron beam evaporation method at a series of oblique angles. It has been found out that the columnar structure in the films inclined with oblique angle. Moreover, the angle between the growth direction of the columnar structure and the substrate normal was essentially the same as the oblique angle. The film thickness, the average transmittance, the normalized absorption and the sheet resistance also varied as a function of angle. These properties also gradually varied along the film's surface. Then, the effects of oblique angle deposition on the film properties were discussed based on deposition speed and shadowing effect.