Fabrication and Optoelectronic Properties of Advanced Quinary Amorphous Oxide Semiconductor InGaZnSnO Thin Film

As the typical representative of amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS), quaternary indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) has been applied as the active layer of thin-film transistors (TFTs), but their mobility is still low (usually ~10 cm²/Vs). IGTO is reported to have larger mobility owing to the addition of Tin (Sn) in IZO. So, whether Sn doping can increase the optoelectronic properties of IGZO is a new topic worth studying. In this study, four series of quinary InGaZnSnO (IGZTO) oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrates using a high-purity IGZTO (In:Ga:Zn:Sn:O = 1:0.5:1.5:0.25:x, atomic ratio) ceramic target by RF magnetron sputtering. The effects of fabrication parameters (sputtering power, argon gas flow, and target-to-substrate distance) and film thickness on the microstructure, optical, and electrical properties of IGZTO thin films were investigated. The results show that all IGZTO thin films deposited at room temperature (RT) are amorphous and have a smooth and uniform surface with a low roughness (RMS of 0.441 nm, RA of 0.332 nm). They exhibit good average visible light transmittance (89.02~90.69%) and an optical bandgap of 3.47~3.56 eV. When the sputtering power is 90 W, the argon gas flow rate is 50 sccm, and the target-to-substrate distance is 60 mm, the IGZTO films demonstrate optimal electrical properties: carrier concentration (3.66 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3), Hall mobility (29.91 cm²/Vs), and resistivity (0.54 × 10^-2 Ω·cm). These results provide a valuable reference for the property modulation of IGZTO films and the potential application in optoelectronic devices such as TFTs.