Study of electrical and optical properties of Zr-doped ZnO thin films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

This paper establishes DC reactive magnetron sputtering as synthesis process for Zr doped ZnO thin film. Zr can be doped in ZnO using various techniques. Some research groups have doped ZnO with Zr by radio frequency magnetron sputtering using target made of ZnO and ZrO2 powder. Radio frequency has low rate of deposition because deposition takes place only in one of two half cycles. Uniform mixing of small amount of ZrO2 powder in ZnO is expensive process as well as time consuming. To overcome the constraints, Zn and Zr metal target was used and film was made by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. Various parameters of the process was established by varying variables, such as sputtering power of the Zn and Zr, oxygen partial pressure in the chamber. Optimum flow rate of Argon is 16 seem and Oxygen is 4 sccm. Sputtering power of 150 watt for Zn and 10 watt for the Zr gives good result. Films obtained are polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure and have preferred orientation along the c axis. Resistivity of the film is as low as 0.07 Omega-cm. Average transparency of film is above 85% in visible range.