Effects of Heating Mode and Temperature on the Microstructures, Electrical and Optical Properties of Molybdenum Thin Films

Zhao, Haili; Xie, Jingpei; Mao, A. Y.; Wang, Aiqin; Chen, Yanfang; Liang, Tingting; De, Ma

doi:10.3390/ma11091634

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…This means, based on Scherer formula [22,23], the observed decrease in crystallite size for the exposed RTA sample implies an increase in FWHM, whereas the observed increase in crystallite size for un-exposed RTA sample implies a decrease in FWHM. Additionally, no direct link is observed (based on the microstrain-FWHM formula [24]) between the observed FWHM trend and the samples microstrain decrease for un-exposed and further decrease for exposed RTA samples as compared to un-annealed samples (Table 1). The decrease in crystallite size observed for exposed RTA sample (Table 1) suggests that the sample experienced a substantial nitrogen gas atmosphere, limiting the reaction [25] on the sample and hence reduced its crystallite size.…”

Section: Xrd Analysismentioning

confidence: 94%

Properties of ITO thin films rapid thermally annealed in different exposures of nitrogen gas

Ollotu¹,

Nyarige

Mlyuka

et al. 2020

J Mater Sci: Mater Electron

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Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were rapid thermal annealed (RTA) for 5 min at a temperature of 550 °C in different exposures of nitrogen gas. Effects of these exposures on the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of these films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and field emission-scanning electron microscopy, four-point probe and hall effect measurements, and ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) spectrophotometer, respectively. The un-exposed RTA ITO films maintained (400) plane preferential orientation similar to the un-annealed sample. However, this plane preferential orientation was reduced relative to (222) plane for exposed RTA sample. The grains and surface roughness parameters were reduced for exposed and enhanced for un-exposed RTA samples as compared to the un-annealed sample. Relatively higher electrical conductivity, average solar transmittance, and bandgap values were observed for ITO films annealed while exposed to nitrogen gas. The exposed RTA ITO films showed sheet resistance of 7.91 Ω sq −1 , average solar transmittance of 83%, and bandgap of 3.93 eV. Findings from this study suggest that RTA exposure have the potential to control ITO thin films properties, hence, extending its potential applications.

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Section: Xrd Analysismentioning

confidence: 94%

Properties of ITO thin films rapid thermally annealed in different exposures of nitrogen gas

Ollotu¹,

Nyarige

Mlyuka

et al. 2020

J Mater Sci: Mater Electron

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“…Magnetron sputtering is the most commonly used method for the preparation of Mo films originating from several advantages such as low cost, easy to adjust the parameters, films can be deposited uniformly on large-sized areas [6]. A large number of studies have shown that the structures and properties of Mo films are related to the preparation process and parameters [7][8][9]. For instance, Akçay et al, [10] investigated the effects of deposition pressures and powers on the structures and photoelectric properties of Mo films prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Bottom Layer Sputtering Pressures and Annealing Temperatures on the Microstructures, Electrical and Optical Properties of Mo Bilayer Films Deposited by RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering

2019

Self Cite

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Most of the molybdenum (Mo) bilayer films are deposited by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at the bottom and the top layer (DC/DC). However, the deposition of Mo bilayer film by radio frequency (RF) Mo bottom layer and DC Mo top layer magnetron sputtering has been less studied by researchers. In this paper, the bottom layer of Mo bilayer film was deposited by RF magnetron sputtering to maintain its good adhesion and high reflectance, and the top layer was deposited by DC magnetron sputtering to obtain good conductivity (RF/DC). Generally, the bottom layer sputtering pressure is relatively random, in this paper, the effects of the bottom layer RF sputtering pressures on the microstructures and properties of Mo bilayer films were first studied in detail. Next, in order to further improve their properties, the as-prepared Mo bilayer films at 0.4 Pa bottom layer RF sputtering pressure were annealed at different temperatures and then investigated. Specifically, Mo bilayer films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by RF/DC magnetron sputtering at different bottom layer RF sputtering pressures in the range of 0.4-1.2 Pa, the powers of bottom layer RF sputtering and top layer DC sputtering were 120 W and 100 W, respectively. Then, Mo bilayer films, prepared at a bottom layer sputtering pressure of 0.4 Pa and top layer sputtering pressure of 0.3 Pa, were annealed for 30 min at various temperatures in the range of 100-400 • C. The effects of bottom layer sputtering pressures and the annealing temperatures on the microstructures, electrical and optical properties of Mo bilayer films were clarified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic-force microscopy (AFM), and ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectra, respectively. It is shown that with decreasing bottom layer sputtering pressure from 1.2 to 0.4 Pa and increasing annealing temperature from 100 to 400 • C, the crystallinity, electrical and optical properties of Mo bilayer films were improved correspondingly. The optimized Mo bilayer film was prepared at the top layer sputtering pressure of 0.3 Pa, the bottom layer sputtering pressure of 0.4 Pa and the annealing temperature of 400 • C. The extremely low resistivity of 0.92 × 10 −5 Ω.cm was obtained. The photo-conversion efficiency of copper indium gallium selenium (CIGS) solar cell with the optimized Mo bilayer film as electrode was up to as high as 13.5%.

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“…It was shown that a higher substrate temperature leads to better crystallinity and thus to larger grains of the film. According to the result of Zhao et al [17], the size of Mo grains varied from 11.7 nm at room temperature to 33.1 nm at 400 • C for 0.3 Pa of the sputtering pressure. The average crystallite size obtained by Su et al [28] was around 8.7 nm at 0.67 Pa. A similar value of grain size (8 nm) was observed in the current studies for a sputtering pressure equaling 1.53 Pa. Small area devices require back contact film with sheet resistance (R s ) about 20 Ω/ [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Sputtering power used in these studies was in the range between 0.74 and 1.48 W/cm 2 . The work of [17] presents the dependency of Mo grain size on substrate temperature during the deposition process. It was shown that a higher substrate temperature leads to better crystallinity and thus to larger grains of the film.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of Thin Layers for Solar Cell Fabrication

Gulkowski

Krawczak

2020

Coatings

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Thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)-based solar cells with relatively high efficiency and low material usage might become a promising alternative for crystalline silicon technology. The most challenging task nowadays is to decrease the PV module fabrication costs by application of easily scalable industrial process. One of the possible solutions is the usage of magnetron sputtering system for deposition of all structures applied in CIGS-based photovoltaic device. The main object of these studies was fabrication and characterization of thin films deposited by sputtering technique. Structural and electrical properties of the sputtered films were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRD), and four-point probe resistivity measurements. The presented findings revealed technological parameters for which sheet resistance of molybdenum (Mo) back contact decreased up to 0.3 Ω/□ and to even 0.08 Ω/□ in case of aluminum layer. EDS analysis provided evidence for the appropriate stoichiometry of CIGS absorber (with CGI and GGI equal to 0.96 and 0.2, respectively). XRD characterization confirmed high-quality chalcopyrite polycrystalline structure of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 film fabricated at relatively low substrate temperature of 400 °C. Characteristic XRD peaks of hexagonal-oriented structures of sputtered CdS and i-ZnO layers were noticed.

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Effects of Heating Mode and Temperature on the Microstructures, Electrical and Optical Properties of Molybdenum Thin Films

Cited by 13 publications

References 36 publications

Properties of ITO thin films rapid thermally annealed in different exposures of nitrogen gas

Properties of ITO thin films rapid thermally annealed in different exposures of nitrogen gas

Effects of Bottom Layer Sputtering Pressures and Annealing Temperatures on the Microstructures, Electrical and Optical Properties of Mo Bilayer Films Deposited by RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering

RF/DC Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of Thin Layers for Solar Cell Fabrication

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