Comparative Characteristics of ZnO Thin Films Deposited by RF Sputtering, Thermal Oxidation of Metallic Zinc and Sol-Gel Methods

ZnO thin films were deposited using three processes: Thermal oxidation of metallic zinc (Zn), sol-gel and RF sputtering. The structural and electrical properties of ZnO films were investigated and compared systematically using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and four probe methods. The main difference between all the three ZnO thin films were the stoichiometry and surface morphology. Thermally oxidized ZnO films with the best crystalline quality, have potential for application in electronic and optoelectronic devices.