CDO THIN-FILMS SYNTHESIZED BY A MODIFIED REACTIVE THERMAL DEPOSITION PROCESS

Thin films of transparent conducting n-type cadmium oxide have been de posited on glass substrates by a modified reactive thermal evaporation technique. X-pay diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence analysis co nfirm that the films are cadmium oxide. XRD also reveals that the 250 degrees C annealed films are polycrystalline with a preferred orientat ion along the (111) diffraction plane. The lattice parameter was found to be 4.961 Angstrom. The films show a high optical transmittance (70 -92%) in the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. A direct bandgap value of 2.45 +/- 0.05 eV has been obtained for the CdO film. The room temperature resistivity, carrier concentra tion and mobility were determined as 1.45 x 10(-3) Omega cm, 7.35 x 10 (19) cm(-3) and 59.77 cm(2)/V s, respectively.