Comparison of the properties for ZnO:Al films deposited on polyimide and glass substrates

Transparent conducting aluminum–doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) films have been prepared on polyimide (PI) and Corning 7059 substrates by r.f. magnetron sputtering technique at low substrate temperature (25–210 °C). Polycrystalline ZnO:Al films having a preferred orientation with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate were deposited with resistivity as low as 8.5×10−4 Ω cm on PI substrates and 7.1×10−4 Ω cm on glass substrates. The average transmittance exceeded 74 and 85% in the visible spectrum for 360 and 390 nm thick films deposited on PI and glass, respectively. A comparison of the properties of the films deposited on glass and organic substrates was performed.