Effects of ZnO buffer layers on growth, electrical properties and crystallinity of vanadium-doped ZnO

Transparent conductive oxides have attracted much attention in the field of optoelectronic device applications. Among these materials, vanadium-doped zinc oxide is unique for its piezoelectricity, transparency, and electric conductivity. In this paper, we investigate the effects of zinc oxide buffer layers on the formation of vanadium-doped zinc oxide. We find that zinc oxide buffer layer thicker than 10 nm has oriented crystal structure, and promote the formation of highly oriented vanadium-doped zinc oxide by reducing electrically inactive layer at the interface. Our investigation indicates that zinc-oxide-based conductive film can be formed by introducing the buffer layer under appropriate conditions. These results provide important information for industrial application of transparent conductive materials.