Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2006
Interconnected microstructural ZnO:Al thin films with low doping concentration (Al/Zn ≤1%) were deposited on (0001) sapphire substrates by the sol-gel technique. The effects of low doping concentration on the structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), and four-point probe method were used to characterize the structural, optical and electrical properties. We found that with increasing the dopant concentration the interconnected thread becomes thinner, the (002) diffraction peak and the near band edge (NBE) emission are enhanced while the deep level emission (DLE) and the resistivity are decreased.