Fabrication and Characterization of the AZO/Ag/AZO Transparent Conductive Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering Using Powder Targets

The sandwich films composed of aluminum ions doped zinc oxide (AZO)/silver (Ag)/aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering using the powder targets at room temperature. The morphology and crystallinity, as well as the optical and electrical properties of the as-synthesized films were examined by using different characterization equipments, including X-ray diffraction, Atomic force microscopy, UV-visible spectrophotometer and the Hall-effect measurement. The XRD patterns indicate the existence of the polycrystalline structure with the preferred orientations of ZnO (002) and Ag (111). The AZO/Ag/AZO films have dense columnar structures according to the images captured by the atomic force microscopy. The transmittance of the film at 550 nm is similar to 85% reflected in the UV-visible spectra. The charge carrier concentration and mobility, the resistivity and the sheet resistance of the tri-layer film is about 3.6 x 10(22)/cm(3), 9.0 cm(2)/Vs, 1.9 x 10(-5) Omega . cm, and 2.6 Omega/sq, respectively. The AZO/Ag/AZO film has great promises in the industrial applications as transparent electrodes.