Newfangled crater-nanorod/honeycomb-like double-textured ZnO:Al films with enhanced light trapping

Abstract Newfangled crater-nanorod/honeycomb-like double-textured ZnO:Al (AZO) films were prepared successfully. The structural, morphological, optoelectronic and light trapping properties of crater-nanorod/honeycomb-like double-textured AZO films were investigated. Surface morphology evolution of the double-textured films depending on growth temperature was presented. And distinct and regular nanorod/honeycomb-like structures were observed on the surface of the crater-like single-textured AZO films at growth temperature of 90 °C. The double-textured AZO films with crater-nanorod/honeycomb-like structures had not only high haze and total transmittance but also low sheet resistance, which indicated the excellent optoelectronic properties and enhanced light trapping abilities. The crater-nanorod/honeycomb-like double-textured AZO films are suitable to be applied as the transparent conducting front electrodes and have promising application prospects in solar cells.