Boron and Aluminum Codoped ZnO Transparent Conducting Films with High Electrical Stability

Abstract

We suggest boron (B) and aluminum (Al) codoped ZnO (BAZO) transparent conducting thin films with high electrical stability for photovoltaic applications. The resistivity of widely used Al-doped ZnO (AZO) film decreased slightly by B doping. Above all, the resistivity of BAZO (4.9 at. % boron) increased by less than 1.5 times, whereas that of reference AZO film increased by over than 8 times after thermal annealing in atmospheric air. The carrier concentration and Hall mobility were much less degraded in BAZO films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that the peak portion related with chemisorbed oxygen at 100 nm-inside of the film was suppressed in BAZO film compared with AZO film. The B atoms would restrain the oxygen permeation into the film, which made the process of oxygen chemisorption inactive. (C) 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.002202jes] All rights reserved.