Properties of zinc oxide films synthesized in low-temperature plasma discharge under conditions of bombardment with plasma components
Abstract
Optical and structural properties of thin films of zinc oxide synthesized under the conditions of bombardment with components of a low-temperature plasma are studied. The films were synthesized on a cold substrate located at a distance from the target comparable to the free-path length of particles knocked from the target. The refractive index, optical band gap, and interlayer spacing for the films under study are determined. It is found that these parameters depend on the free-path length of the particles, controlled by pressure in the sputtering chamber. Consistent correlation is found between the films’ parameters and the bombardment intensity. A qualitative explanation of the phenomena observed is suggested; this explanation is based on an analysis of the energy conditions of the film’s synthesis.