Structure and morphology of high quality indium-doped ZnO films obtained by spray pyrolysis

Indium-doped zinc oxide thin films were prepared by spray pyrolytic decompo sition of zinc acetate with indium acetate in an alcoholic solution. The fi lms were deposited onto soda lime glass substrate, alumina, and sodium chlo ride crystal. X-Ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and rutherford bac kscattering spectroscopy (RBS) were used to determine film composition. Mor e detailed information about the crystallographic structure of the films wa s obtained with the application of Rietveld refinement method to analyse X- ray diffraction spectra. From the position and shape of the X-ray line prof iles lattice parameters, domain size and micro strains were determined. Sma ll. In amounts (< 3 at.%) cause decreasing lattice parameters, then, with f urther In insertion an increase of these parameters is observed. Preferenti al growth orientation was dependent on the In contents. The inverse pole fi gure (IPF), in the direction normal to the surface, was obtained semi-quant itatively; only (002) planes have a marked tendency to grow parallel to the substrate, consequently, for optimal dopant concentration the films are st rongly c-axis oriented. The film microstructure was observed by electron mi croscopy techniques: surface morphology and microstructure were correlated with the results of the X-ray diffraction analysis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scien ce S.A. All rights reserved.