Structure-property relationships in ZnO:Al-hydroquinone films grown on flexible substrates by atomic and molecular layer deposition

Publication date: 5 April 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 119
Author(s): Grzegorz Luka, Lukasz Wachnicki, Bartlomiej S. Witkowski, Rafal Jakiela, Ihor S. Virt
ZnO:Al-hydroquinone (AZO-HQ) films were grown on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates by atomic and molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD). Organic contents in the films varied from 0 to ≈4vol%. Structural and electrical investigations of the films were carried out. Electrical measurements were performed under film bending. The piezoresistive effect in the films with different organic contents was observed and described. Critical bend radius, critical strain, and piezoresistive coefficient values were related to the film microstructure. The piezoresistivity was found to be enhanced for the deformations of ZnO crystallites along the a-axis whereas higher critical strain was influenced by long crystallites oriented in the deformation direction. AZO-HQ films having 2vol% of the organic content are characterized by the lowest critical bend radius and the highest critical strain among the films under study.

Graphical abstract

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