Abstract
The morphological evolution of ZnO thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering has been investigated on two types of substrates, (111) textured Pt and (100) Si possessing a native oxide. The ZnO films are oriented with the c-axis [0001] normal to the substrate and possess varying degrees of crystallinity. The films have a columnar structure with column diameters in the range of 40-300 nm. As observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction, the film microstructure is strongly dependent on substrate temperature during deposition in the range from near room temperature up to 700 °C and is also dependent on substrate type. A textured film of platinum promotes nucleation thereby improving the crystallinity and texture of sputtered ZnO films. A mechanism for morphological evolution of the films via surface diffusion is proposed based on atom mobilities.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 147-156 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Crystal Growth and Design |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2004 |