Microstructures and dielectric properties of Zn2SnO4 thin films by sputtering from a ZnO doped ceramic target

ABSTRACTThe dielectric properties of Zn2SnO4 thin films with various degrees of ZnO dopant concentration were investigated. Zn2SnO4 thin films were prepared using the radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the 0 and 75 mole % ZnO doped Zn2SnO4 thin films revealed that Zn2SnO4 is the main crystalline phase, which is accompanied by a little SnO2 as the second phase. The second phase SnO2 in specimens vanished when the extent of ZnO additive was increased to 100 mole%. A dielectric constant of 15–40 and a loss factor of 0.10–0.14 of Zn2SnO4 thin films were measured at 1 MHz with ZnO dopant concentration in the range of 0–100 mole%.