Al L2,3 near edge structure captures the dopant activation and segregation in Al-doped ZnO films

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films have been synthesized using reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) in a wide range of Al contents, 0.6–14.7 at.%. The film structure and microstructure investigated by X-ray diffraction transmission electron microscopy evolves from nanocrystalline columnar towards ultrafine wurtzite ZnO upon increasing the content. Electrical properties measured 4-point probe Hall effect setups revealed that effective doping maybe achieved up to 3 at.% HiPIMS. Most importantly, optical transmittance electronic measurements at L2,3 energy loss near edge (ELNES) contain signatures dopant activation, segregation may serve investigate on origin electrical degradation optimize AZO films.