Structure and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Grown by Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

ZnO films of different thicknesses have been formed on quartz and oxidized Si substrates using a magnetron sputtering technique. RS and PL spectroscopy as well as measurements of absorption and reflectance spectra were used in order to investigate a phase composition and optical properties of deposited films. RS data confirmed the wurtzite structure of ZnO as well as the presence of Zni, Vo, or defect complexes containing Zni and Vo in ZnO. Thin ZnO films (14 and 40 nm) revealed an optical reflectance lower than that of bare SiO2/Si substrates in the visible and IR range. Annealed ZnO films exhibit strong emission in blue and red spectral range. It indicates a potential application of them as antireflection coatings for silicon based solar cells and light-emitting structure