Preparation of ZnO Films by Activated Reactive Evaporation Method

Zinc oxide films were prepared on silica glass substrates by the use of an r.f. activated reactive evaporation (ARE) method, and were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). XRD measurements indicate that the films were c-axis oriented and that an r.f. plasma of Zn and O was necessary for the ZnO film deposition. Substrate temperature, oxygen gas pressure, evaporation rate, r.f. power and inlet position of oxygen gas effect the c-axis orientation, the growth rate and the microstructure of the films. Optimum conditions for a dense film with a fine texture of the surface and having good crystallinity were as follows: the substrate temperature;400℃, the evaporation rate;5.0(A)/s, the oxygen pressure;2.0x10(-4) Torr, the r.f. power;150 to 200W, and the oxygen gas inlet near the substrate. For the film prepared under the optimum conditions, the standard deviation σ of the rocking curve for the (002) diffraction was 1.9deg, smaller than that of the film prepared by using an r.f. sputtering method