Optical properties of zinc oxynitride thin films

Properties of rf-sputtered indium–tin-oxynitride thin films

“…Furthermore, the average lattice spacing, calculated using the Bragg equation, 29 for the strongest peak was 2.969 Å for the ITO film and it increased to 2.978 Å for the film deposited in pure nitrogen plasma ͑S3-ITON͒. Such a shift of the diffraction peaks towards lower angles and the subsequent increase of d spacing with an increase in the nitrogen concentration in the plasma have been observed for other oxynitrides 9 as well as for ITO films 30 and they have been attributed to residual stress in these structures. Annealing the films at 400°C shifted the diffraction peaks towards higher angles, and the intensities were reduced and new peaks appeared, as can be seen in Fig.…”

“…For example, monometallic and bimetallic oxynitrides have been investigated as catalysts, 1 silicontin and lithium-phosphorus oxynitrides have been applied in thin-film lithium-ion batteries for microelectronics, 2 and other oxynitrides have been investigated for either their properties ͑ZrON, 3 CuON, 4 TaON, 5 NbON͒ 6 or for specific applications like gas sensors ͑InON͒, 7 transparent and conductive layers in optoelectronic devices ͑InON, 8 ZnON, 9 TiON͒ 10 and optical or hard coatings ͑TiON, 10 SiON͒. 11 Reactive sputtering is the predominant deposition technique employed to fabricate these oxynitride thin films from either an elemental target in O 2 -N 2 -Ar gas mixtures or an oxide target in N 2 -Ar plasma.…”

High mobility amorphous zinc oxynitride semiconductor material for thin film transistors

“…It has been suggested that Zn 3 N 2 is easily hydrolyzed by air moisture. 27 Small amounts of Zn͑OH͒ 2 and ZnO were observed by Toyoura et al 28 on the outer surface of the zinc nitride formed by the molten salt electrochemical process in their work. Supposedly, the water came from the moisture adsorbed on the surface.…”

“…13,14 A zinc oxynitride ͑ZnON͒ thin film was studied for its optical properties in the late 1990s. 15 The zinc oxynitride film reported had a distinct hexagonal zinc oxide crystalline structure, as shown by x-ray diffraction ͑XRD͒ spectra. The film is similar in structure to the nitrogen-doped zinc oxide ͑ZnO:N͒ or nitrogen-metal codoped zinc oxides, which have been intensely investigated in an effort to produce p-type ZnO films for solar cell and solid state lighting applications.…”

“…16-21͒ or crystalline ZnON. 15 When the oxygen flow rate is adjusted to an intermediate level, both nitrogen and oxygen strongly influence the growth of the film, resulting in complicated changes in phase, structure, and chemical composition. The film produced has no prominent signs of either cubic Zn 3 N 2 or hexagonal ZnO structure and is smooth with a typical root-mean-square roughness of less than 10 Å as measured using an atomic force microscope.…”