Aluminum doped ZnO transparent conducting thin films prepared by sol-gel dip coating technique for solar cells and optoelectronic applications

AbstractAluminium-doped ZnO (AZO) nanostructured transparent conducting thin films have been deposited on a glass substrate through sol-gel dip coating process by alterable aluminium substance of 0–5 at.%. Structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of the composed films investigated employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), four-probe conductive measurement strategy and UV–visible Spectroscopy (UV–vis), respectively. The high intensity razor-sharp (002) peak observed in 1 at.% doped film annealed at 450 °C. The 0.5 at.% doped film reveals porous nanostructure and spherical crystalline size is relatively 38nm. The electrical resistivity of 3.2 × 10–2 Ωcm is obtained in 1 at.% doped film annealed at 450 °C. Compared to all, 0.5 at.% doped film produces over 90% transmittance. The obtained optical band gap energies are ranging from 3.34 eV to 3.62 eV. Preparatory outcomes anticipated in these investigation exhibit AZO films are being valuable as guaranteeing tra...