Study of Zinc Oxide Films Growth on Aluminum Nitride and Silicon Substrates: Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties

Abstract

ZnO films were deposited by magnetron sputtering using RF power supply, in order to study the effect of substrates on quality of the prepared films. Then, growth of the ZnO films on thin AlN buffer layer and Si(100) substrates were characterized using different techniques. The surface morphology was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The structural properties were investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, Rocking Curve as well as Pole figures. The ZnO films were textured and they had preferred orientation (002) and the crystallinity was better for ZnO/Si in the used growth conditions. The XRD results were confirmed by HRTEM. Optical properties were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL), as well as electrical characteristics were performed by C-V and I-V measurements. The dispersion orientation of these films, as indicated via the FWHM (rocking curves), is small for thin ZnO/Si. These results are considered as hopeful for piezoelectric applications.