Abstract
Transparent conducting thin films of ZnO:Ga (GZO) have been deposited onto glass substrates and were prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering from nanoparticles synthesized by the sol-gel method. The preheated substrate temperature was changed from room temperature to 300A degrees C. X-ray diffraction spectra showed that the as-deposited films are polycrystalline ZnO with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Surface morphology, optical properties (such as transmission, reflectance), and conductivity were investigated. The obtained results revealed that the structures and properties of the films were greatly affected by the substrate temperature. Thin films of GZO have a low resistivity, with a minimum value of 2.20 x 10(-3) Omega cm deposited at a substrate temperature of 200A degrees C.