Transparent and highly oriented ZnO films grown at low temperature by sputtering with a modified sputter gun

Abstract
Transparent, pure c‐oriented ZnO films have been deposited on various substrates utilizing a magnetron sputter gun. The design of the gun and of the sputtering system helps to keep the substrate surface free from charged particle bombardment and excessive heat by radiation. The substrate temperature can be maintained as low as 98 °C reducing the effects of thermal stress to a minimum. A comparison is made between the conventional planar magnetron system and the sputter gun. The design of the sputter gun has overcome some of the difficulties which have existed in standard planar magnetron sputtering. Sputtering parameters and results are discussed as well as the advantages of using a reactively sputtered zinc target over a zinc‐oxide target.