STUDIES ON GROWTH, STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION OF UNDOPED AND INDIUM-DOPED THIN-FILMS OBTAINED USING THE PYROSOL METHOD

Undoped and indium-doped ZnO thin films were deposited by the Pyrosol process onto soda-lime glass substrates. Several precursors and solvents were tested. Only a solution of dihydrated zinc acetate diluted in methanol allowed us to obtain good quality undoped ZnO thin films; indium doping was achieved by adding a saturated solution of indium acetylacetonate diluted in acetylacetone. A strong preferred orientation of grains which changed with deposition temperature and indium doping was observed. The average grain size varied linearly with substrate temperature for undoped ZnO films. The indium content of the films was only lower than that of the solution for high deposition temperatures. Alkali diffusion from the substrate which diminished with substrate temperature and/or indium doping was observed.