THE EFFECTS OF UV-ozone TREATMENT ON THE SCATTERING MECHANISMS OF ZnO: Ga TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE OXIDE FILMS

This study investigated the effects of UV-ozone surface treatment on the electrical conduction and scattering mechanisms of gallium-doped zinc oxide (Ga: ZnO or GZO) thin films deposited on Corning glass substrates via radio-frequency sputtering at room temperature. Hall effect measurements at elevated temperatures revealed that grain boundary scattering dominated the electrical conduction in pristine GZO films, primarily due to their smaller grain sizes and weaker crystallinity. However, after a 70[Formula: see text]min UV-ozone treatment, the scattering mechanisms shifted to being dominated by lattice vibrations, which were attributed to significant grain growth and improved crystalline quality. Moreover, GZO films subjected to a 60[Formula: see text]min UV-ozone treatment exhibited several advantages, including enhanced crystallization, lower resistivity, and improved resistivity stability across a wide range of measurement temperatures. In addition to these electrical improvements, the surface properties of the treated films were also significantly enhanced. The 60[Formula: see text]min UV-ozone treatment led to increased surface energy and superior adhesion properties, which are critical for practical device applications. These findings highlight the potential of UV-ozone treatment as an effective technique to optimize both the electrical and surface characteristics of GZO thin films. Such enhancements make these films promising candidates for the fabrication of high-performance, high-stability electronic devices in various advanced applications.