Electronic conduction in amorphous and polycrystalline zinc-indium oxide films

Journal article

We report on the electronic properties of both amorphous and polycrystalline zinc-indium oxide thin films with similar degenerate electron concentrations just above the insulator-to-metal transition. The highest electron mobilities occur in amorphous oxide films deposited at 100 °C; for these, structural disorder is on a spatial scale much smaller than the characteristic electron wavelength (∼3 nm) of the conduction electron gas. For polycrystalline films fabricated at 200-300 °C enhanced electron scattering occurs at evolving grain boundaries when the grain size is comparable to the electron wavelength. Larger, highly crystalline grains form for deposition at 500 °C with concomitant higher carrier mobilities. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Authors: Kuznetsov, V; O'Neil, D; Pepper, M; Edwards, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
• Volume: 97
• Issue: 26
• Pages: 262117-262117
• Publication date: 2010-12-27
• DOI: 10.1063/1.3533382
• ISSN: 0003-6951
• Language: English