The Structural, Electrical and Optical Properties of GZO/Ni Bi-layered Films

To investigate the effect of a Ni buffer layer on the structural, electrical and optical properties of GZO (Ga Doped ZnO) thin films, GZO single layer and GZO/Ni bi-layered films were prepared on poly-carbonate (PC) substrates by RF and DC magnetron sputtering without intentional substrate heating. GZO films had an optical transmittance of 87.1% in the visible wavelength region and an electrical resistivity of 1.0x10(-2) Omega cm, while GZO/Ni films had a lower resistivity of 1.2x10(-3) Omega cm and an optical transmittance of 82.4%. Based on the figure of merit, it is clear that a 2 nm thick Ni buffer layer enhanced the opto-electrical performance of GZO films for use as transparent conducting oxides in flexible display applications