Properties of ZnO:Al thin films for solar cells by pyrosol method

Undoped and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin films have been prepared on heated Coming 7059 glass substrates by pyrosol method under various deposition conditions. The effects of the different deposition variables and annealing in vacuum of ZnO thin films have been investigated by analyzing the electrical, optical, and compositional changes of the films. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain ZnO:Al thin films with a transmittance at about 80% and a resistivity as low as 3.5/spl times/10/sup -3/ /spl Omega/cm. Furthermore, it was also found that the films are stable in hydrogen plasma (within the exposure time of 10 minutes).