STABILITY OF SPUTTER-DEPOSITED ZNOCR FILMS AGAINST ACIDS

ZnO:Cr films were deposited on water-cooled soda-lime glass substrates at room temperature in an Ar atmosphere by rf magnetron sputtering of a ZnO target on which Cr chips were placed. The films exhibited extra ordinary stability against acids such as HCl or HNO3, and also high re sistivities similar to those of ZnO films. The addition of Cr suppress ed the growth of ZnO grains which resulted in the formation of a dense film with a smooth surface. The stability ahd high resistivity displa yed by the ZnO:Cr films can be attributed to the formation of a chromi um-oxide-rich grain boundary.