Discipline: Nanoscience or Materials Science
Subcategory: Materials Science
Session: 1
Room: Forum
Jasmine Beckford - Norfolk State University
Co-Author(s): Makhes K Behera, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA; Sangram K Pradhan, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA; Messaoud Bahoura, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA;
There is growing popularity of optoelectronic devices such as smart windows, car defrosters, and other devices. The growth and characterization of thin film transparent heaters (TFTH) made of gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) are studied in this work. Indigenously made, Ga doped (7 atomic weight percentage) ZnO target was prepared from Ga2O3 and ZnO powders after initial heating and grinding for homogenous mixing of Ga2O3 with ZnO powders. The uniform and high-quality thin films were deposited onto a glass substrate in a controlled oxygen environment with concentrations ranging from 0 mTorr to10 mTorr using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) scans on the surface of the films reveal that the films are very smooth and exhibit lower root mean square (RMS) surface roughness values. Linear four-probe method was used to perform the temperature-dependent resistivity and the samples demonstrated low sheet resistance with excellent electrical conductivity. All films showed a high optical transparency value well over 85%. High transparency GZO films showed a reproducible joule heating effect with temperatures reaching 60 °C with low input voltage (8V). These remarkable characteristics shown by the GZO films make them suitable candidates for TFTH applications as well as low-cost power electronics and wearable optoelectronic devices.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF-CREST Grant number HRD 1036494 NSF-CREST Grant number HRD 1547771
Faculty Advisor: Messaoud Bahoura, mbahoura@nsu.edu
Role: I did the characterization and optimization of all the thin films. I also mixed the powders used to create the target used in PLD.