RAPID THERMAL ANNEALING OF THIN ZNO FILMS

Thin ZnO films are sputtered on silicon substrates. The films are anne aled by rapid thermal annealing in oxygen and nitrogen atmosphere. X-r ay diffraction methods are used to estimate the lattice constants, the grain size, and the lattice strain. Higher temperatures lead to decre asing strain and increasing grain size. From the obtained activation e nergies of the recrystallization process in dependence on annealing at mosphere it is concluded that the recrystallization process is diffusi on controlled. The lattice constants at higher temperatures approach t he theoretical values and differ for different ambients, caused by the resulting different stoichiometry.