AlZnO magnetron sputtered thin film for photovoltaic application

Aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) is a nontoxic and low-cost material that finds application as a transparent conducting electrode in photovoltaic devices. In this study, the (direct current) DC magnetron sputtering of AZO films is carried out at different deposition times of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 min’s at room temperature, and its structural, optical, electrical, and morphological properties are studied for its use as a front contact for thin film solar cell application. The structural study suggests that the preferred orientation of grains along the (002) plane has a hexagonal structure, and the optical and electrical studies suggest that the films show an average transmission of 70% and a resistivity of the order of 10-4Ω cm. On the other hand, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images suggest the formation of packed grains with a homogeneous surface. Moreover, in order to study the optoelectronic properties of prepared samples, the electronic and optical calculations of the AZO are performed by the first-principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT).