High photoelectric performance of Cu-based AZO multilayer films deposited via TiO2 barrier layer and oxygen-containing atmosphere

摘要

Cu-based Al: ZnO (AZO) multilayer films with different barrier layers (Al and TiO2) were deposited on glass substrates under different deposition atmospheres (oxygen and no oxygen) by magnetron sputtering. The effects of Al layer, TiO2 layer and oxygen gas on structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the multilayer films were investigated. The AZO/Cu/TiO2/AZO multilayer film deposited in oxygen-containing atmosphere possesses a resistivity as low as 5.12 x 10(-5) Omega cm, a sheet resistance of 7.31 Omega/sq., and an average visible optical transmittance of about 81%. It has the optimum photoelectric performance among all the reported multilayer or single-layer transparent conductive thin films, being confirmed by the highest figure of merit (F-OM) of 15.59 x 10(-3) Omega(-1). These results indicate that the insertion of the TiO2 barrier layer and the filling of oxygen during the deposition of the top AZO layer is an effective method for improving the optical and electrical properties of the Cu-based AZO multilayer film.