Properties of Indium-Doped ZnO Films Prepared in an Oxygen-Rich Plasma

Indium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:In) films were prepared in an Ar:O₂ plasma by reactive magnetron sputtering. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns presented the crystal structures of ZnO:In films, while transmission spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed the changed band gap and the visible emission from defects, as compared to the PL spectra of undoped ZnO films. It was concluded that the increase of substrate temperature enhanced the crystal quality of ZnO:In films; the incorporation of In made the c-axis constant of the samples larger than that of undoped ZnO films; the blue emission was due to the transition from an unknown donor level by indium doping to the valance band; and the orange-green emission originated from acceptor defects (O_Zn) formed in the O-rich plasma. Meanwhile, the current- voltage characteristics and persistent photoconductivity phenomenon also could be explained by the increased acceptor defects (O_Zn) that formed when the substrate temperature was increased.