Electrical and optical properties of NiO films deposited by magnetron sputtering

Films of transparent semiconductors are widely studied and developed because of high potential applications in electronics in last decade. Our work concerns the properties of NiO films fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering. Electrical and optical parameters of the films were characterized using Hall and transmittance measurements, respectively. P-type conductivity of as-deposited films and after annealing in oxygen or argon at the temperature range from 300 °C to 900 °C was verified. Transmittance of NiO films strongly depends on deposition temperature and oxygen amount during sputtering. Films deposited at room temperature without oxygen have transmittance near 50% in the visible range and resistivity about 65 Ωcm. An increase in oxygen amount in deposition gas mixture results in higher conductivity, but transmittance decreases below 6%. Resistivity of 0.125 Ωcm was attained at sputtering in oxygen. Films deposited at temperature elevated up to 500 °C are characterized by transmittance above 60% and lower conductivity. Annealing of NiO films in Ar causes resistivity to rise dramatically.