Flexible and Transparent Conducting ZZO/Ag/ZZO Multilayer Grown by Sputtering at Room Temperature

Abstract

We studied the optical, electrical, and structural properties of indium-free Zr-doped ZnO (ZZO)/Ag/ZZO multilayers prepared on poly(ether sulfone) (PES) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The optical and electrical characteristics of the crystalline ZZO/Ag/ZZO multilayer electrodes can be improved by the insertion of a nano-sized Ag interlayer with an optimized thickness between top and bottom ZZO films, owing to the very low resistivity. The ZZO/Ag (12 nm)/ZZO/PES exhibited high transmittance of ³85.6% in the wavelength range from 450 to 600 nm and a low resistivity of ³6 © 10 ¹5 ³·cm. Additionally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) investigations for the ZZO/Ag/ZZO multilayers confirmed no interfacial reaction between the ZZO and Ag films. The performances indicate that the indium-free ZZO/Ag/ZZO multilayers are promising as transparent conducting films for low-cost flexible optoelectronics applications.