Study of Microstructure and Elemental Micro-Composition of ZnO: Al Thin Films by Scanning and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy

摘要

The microstructure and micro-composition of ZnO thin films doped with Al, deposited on Si/SiO_2 substrates by sol-gel method were investigated by scanning and high resolution transmission electron microscopy and related energy dispersive X-ray analyses (SEM-EDX, STEM-HRTEM/EDX). Thin films of ZnO were prepared by deposition of 1-10 successive layers with 0.5 at.% and 5 at.% Al concentrations. The evolution of the elemental composition, especially the Al concentration and distribution in the films with various number of layers were determined from energy dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS). The qualitative composition of the structures observed in the films have been evidenced in the elemental EDS maps.