Structure and transparent conductive properties of F-doped ZnO(FZO) thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

F-doped ZnO (FZO) films were prepared by reactive sputtering using Zn/ZnO/ZnF2 mixture as the target at substrate temperature (T-s) of 150 degrees C and 300 degrees C and sputtering atmosphere of Ar+O-2 and Ar+H-2. The effect of gas flux, T-s, and sputtering atmosphere on the structure and transparent conductive properties of the thin film was investigated. The results show that for FZO films prepared under Ar+O-2, T-s=300 degrees C is conductive to the preparation of films with (002) preferred orientation, high crystallinity, low compressive stress and good transparent conductive properties. For the films prepared under Ar+H-2, with the increase of T-s to 300 degrees C, the crystallinity and transmittance of the films improve and the compressive stress reduces, but the film thickness significantly reduces and leads to the deterioration of the conductive properties of the films. The FZO films prepared in the two atmospheres are compared, and it is found that the films prepared in Ar+H-2 can obtain better transparent conductive properties (the resistivity of 3.5 x 10(-3) Omega.cm and the average transmittance in visible range of 87%) at 150 degrees C and in H-2 flux range of 0.8-3.2 mL.min(-1). The etching effect of H plasma and H doping in the Ar+H-2 atmosphere, the bombardment of O ions and the change of oxygen defects of the films in the Ar+O-2 atmosphere, the enhancement in reaction activity and mobility of deposited atoms with increasing T-s, and the relationship between E-g and carrier concentration are discussed in detail.