Title: Elaboration and characterisation of Si(p)/PS/ZnO(i)/ZnO(n) structure obtained by rf-magnetron sputtering from aerogel nanopowder target material

Authors: A. Alaya, Z. Ben Ayadi, K. Khirouni, L. El Mir, K. Djessas, S. Alaya

Addresses: Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux et des Nanomateriaux appliquee a l'Environnement, Faculte des Sciences de Gabes, Cite Erriadh, Zrig, 6072 Gabes, Tunisie. ' Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux et des Nanomateriaux appliquee a l'Environnement, Faculte des Sciences de Gabes, Cite Erriadh, Zrig, 6072 Gabes, Tunisie. ' Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux et des Nanomateriaux appliquee a l'Environnement, Faculte des Sciences de Gabes, Cite Erriadh, Zrig, 6072 Gabes, Tunisie. ' Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux et des Nanomateriaux appliquee a l'Environnement, Faculte des Sciences de Gabes, Cite Erriadh, Zrig, 6072 Gabes, Tunisie. ' Laboratoire de Mathematiques et Physique des Systemes (MEPS), Universite de Perpignan, 52, Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France. ' Physics Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, 31982 Hofuf, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films has been grown onto p type porous silicon (PS) substrate by rf-magnetron sputtering at room temperature using aluminium (3 at%) doped nanocrystalline powder synthesised by the sol-gel method. XRD measurements show that the obtained AZO film is polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure, preferentially orientated in the (002) crystallographic direction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to study the film morphology. The obtained AZO film has a typical columnar structure and very smooth surface.

Keywords: nanoparticles; porous silicon; transparent conducting oxides; TCO; aluminium-doped zinc oxide; AZO thin films; magnetron sputtering; aerogel nanopowders; film morphology; nanotechnology; nanocrystalline powders.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2009.028763

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2009 Vol.2 No.1/2/3/4/5/6, pp.300-306

Published online: 30 Sep 2009 *

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