The role of a ZnO buffer layer in the growth of ZnO thin film on Al2O3 substrate

A ZnO buffer layer and ZnO thin film have been deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique at the temperatures of 200 C and 400 C, respectively. Structural, electrical and optical properties of ZnO thin films grown on sapphire (Al₂O₃) substrate with 1, 5, and 9 nm thick ZnO buffer layers were investigated. A minute shift of the (101) peak was observed which indicates that the lattice parameter was changed by varying the thickness of the buffer layer. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate the thickness of the ZnO buffer layer and the interface involving a thin ZnO buffer between the film and substrate. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns show high quality hexagonal ZnO thin film with 30 in-plane rotation with respect to the sapphire substrate. The use of the buffer can reduce the lattice mismatch between the ZnO thin film and sapphire substrate; therefore, the lattice constant of ZnO thin film grown on sapphire substrate became similar to that of bulk ZnO with increasing thickness of the buffer layer.