The characteristics of ZnxCd1−xO films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering from powder targets

Transparent conductive zinc and cadmium oxide films were prepared under closed-field unbalanced magnetron by RF from the targets, mixed by zinc oxide and cadmium oxide powder. The influences of Zn:Cd ratios on the structures and properties of the films were investigated. The compositions, morphological structures, crystallinity, optical and electrical properties of the films were analyzed using a range of techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Hall Effect Measurement and spectrophotometry. The morphological structure of the coatings changed from hexahedron to tetrahedron, the preferred orientations from ZnO (002), to mixed ZnO (002) + CdO (111), and to CdO (200) as the ratio of the cadmium in the films increased. The average transmittances within the visible wavelength varied from 40% to 90% as the ratio of the zinc in the films increased. The lowest resistivity of the film was 10^-40cm, the concentration of charge carriers within 10²⁰, the mobility over 100cm²/Vs.