Optical constants of vacuum annealed radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films

M. F. Al-Kuhaili; S. M.A. Durrani; I. A. Bakhtiari; M. Saleem

doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2012.06.031

Optical constants of vacuum annealed radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films

M. F. Al-Kuhaili^*, S. M.A. Durrani, I. A. Bakhtiari, M. Saleem

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Zinc oxide thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed in vacuum at temperatures of 400, 600, and 800 °C. The influence of annealing on the structural, chemical, and optical properties of the films was investigated. From a structural point of view, the films were highly oriented, with columnar microstructure. Chemical analysis indicated that the films were sub-stoichiometric, and that the concentration of oxygen vacancies was enhanced upon annealing. The films were highly transparent in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Transparency was reduced as the annealing temperature was increased. The refractive index and extinction coefficient, in the transparent regions of the films, were derived from transmittance measurements. The refractive index manifested variation that was affected by crystallite size, roughness and defect concentration. The extinction coefficient of the as-deposited films and those annealed at 400 °C was negligible. However, the films annealed at 600 or 800 °C had much larger values of the extinction coefficient due to increased absorption or scattering. The absorption coefficient and optical band gap of the films were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. The absorption coefficient showed progressive increase with the annealing temperature. However, the band gap did not show significant variation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4405-4412
Number of pages	8
Journal	Optics Communications
Volume	285
Issue number	21-22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2012.06.031
State	Published - 1 Oct 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. 08-ADV69-4 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.

Keywords

Band gap
Optical constants
RF sputtering
Vacuum annealing
Zinc oxide

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1016/j.optcom.2012.06.031

Cite this

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title = "Optical constants of vacuum annealed radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films",

abstract = "Zinc oxide thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed in vacuum at temperatures of 400, 600, and 800 °C. The influence of annealing on the structural, chemical, and optical properties of the films was investigated. From a structural point of view, the films were highly oriented, with columnar microstructure. Chemical analysis indicated that the films were sub-stoichiometric, and that the concentration of oxygen vacancies was enhanced upon annealing. The films were highly transparent in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Transparency was reduced as the annealing temperature was increased. The refractive index and extinction coefficient, in the transparent regions of the films, were derived from transmittance measurements. The refractive index manifested variation that was affected by crystallite size, roughness and defect concentration. The extinction coefficient of the as-deposited films and those annealed at 400 °C was negligible. However, the films annealed at 600 or 800 °C had much larger values of the extinction coefficient due to increased absorption or scattering. The absorption coefficient and optical band gap of the films were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. The absorption coefficient showed progressive increase with the annealing temperature. However, the band gap did not show significant variation.",

keywords = "Band gap, Optical constants, RF sputtering, Vacuum annealing, Zinc oxide",

author = "Al-Kuhaili, \{M. F.\} and Durrani, \{S. M.A.\} and Bakhtiari, \{I. A.\} and M. Saleem",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science \& Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum \& Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. 08-ADV69-4 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.",

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AU - Al-Kuhaili, M. F.

AU - Durrani, S. M.A.

AU - Bakhtiari, I. A.

AU - Saleem, M.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. 08-ADV69-4 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.

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N2 - Zinc oxide thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed in vacuum at temperatures of 400, 600, and 800 °C. The influence of annealing on the structural, chemical, and optical properties of the films was investigated. From a structural point of view, the films were highly oriented, with columnar microstructure. Chemical analysis indicated that the films were sub-stoichiometric, and that the concentration of oxygen vacancies was enhanced upon annealing. The films were highly transparent in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Transparency was reduced as the annealing temperature was increased. The refractive index and extinction coefficient, in the transparent regions of the films, were derived from transmittance measurements. The refractive index manifested variation that was affected by crystallite size, roughness and defect concentration. The extinction coefficient of the as-deposited films and those annealed at 400 °C was negligible. However, the films annealed at 600 or 800 °C had much larger values of the extinction coefficient due to increased absorption or scattering. The absorption coefficient and optical band gap of the films were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. The absorption coefficient showed progressive increase with the annealing temperature. However, the band gap did not show significant variation.

AB - Zinc oxide thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed in vacuum at temperatures of 400, 600, and 800 °C. The influence of annealing on the structural, chemical, and optical properties of the films was investigated. From a structural point of view, the films were highly oriented, with columnar microstructure. Chemical analysis indicated that the films were sub-stoichiometric, and that the concentration of oxygen vacancies was enhanced upon annealing. The films were highly transparent in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions. Transparency was reduced as the annealing temperature was increased. The refractive index and extinction coefficient, in the transparent regions of the films, were derived from transmittance measurements. The refractive index manifested variation that was affected by crystallite size, roughness and defect concentration. The extinction coefficient of the as-deposited films and those annealed at 400 °C was negligible. However, the films annealed at 600 or 800 °C had much larger values of the extinction coefficient due to increased absorption or scattering. The absorption coefficient and optical band gap of the films were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. The absorption coefficient showed progressive increase with the annealing temperature. However, the band gap did not show significant variation.

KW - Band gap

KW - Optical constants

KW - RF sputtering

KW - Vacuum annealing

KW - Zinc oxide

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ER -

Optical constants of vacuum annealed radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtered zinc oxide thin films

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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