Optoelectronic properties of transparent conducting silver beta alumina and indium doped silver beta alumina thin films prepared by multi source vacuum evaporation method

Abstract The present study reports the optoelectronic properties of crystalline transparent conducting silver beta alumina (AgAl 11 O 17 ) and indium doped silver beta alumina (AgAl 11 O 17 :In) thin films. In contrast to the p-type conductivity of the delafossite AgAlO 2, both the hexagonal crystalline AgAl 11 O 17 and AgAl 11 O 17 :In are n-type as confirmed by hot probe, hall effect and thermoelectric measurements. The variation in electrical conductivity (10 −5 -10 −2  S/cm) and activation energy are correlated with carrier concentration and mobility. The films exhibit a wide direct band gap of ∼3.93 ± 0.02eV and transparency upto ~62%.