ZnO1-xTex thin films deposited by reactive magnetron co-sputtering: composition, structure and optical properties

Abstract

ZnO1-xTex thin films were deposited by DC reactive magnetron co-sputtering using pure Zn and Te targets. Te atomic concentration in the films ranged from x=0 to 0.33 by adjusting the applied power on the targets or varying the cathode-substrate distance. Chemical composition and crystalline structure were determined by RBS experiments and X-ray Diffraction, respectively. For low Te atomic concentrations (x¿0.04) the deposited ZnO1-xTex films showed a crystalline structure ZnO wurtzite type however, for increasing Te concentration significant broadening and decreasing intensities of the main peaks belonging to pure ZnO films together with some weak peaks characteristic of crystalline Trizinc Tellurate salt have appeared. For the highest x values some non-identified weak peaks beside to some others peaks corresponding to the crystalline phases mentioned above as well as, a broad band probably associated to amorphous TeO2 phase were observed. A preliminary optical characterization of the samples point out the possibility of different electronic transitions within the ZnO band gap.