title: Evolution of dielectric function of Al-doped ZnO thin films with thermal annealing: effect of band gap expansion and free-electron absorption.
abstract: Evolution of dielectric function of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films with annealing temperature is observed. It is shown that the evolution is due to the changes in both the band gap and the free-electron absorption as a result of the change of free-electron concentration of the AZO thin films. The change of the electron concentration could be attributed to the activation of Al dopant and the creation/annihilation of the donor-like defects like oxygen vacancy in the thin films caused by annealing.
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Leong
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis*; D003460:Crystallization; D004583:Electrons; D008422:Materials Testing; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction / Q000379:methods*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D000535:Aluminum; D015034:Zinc Oxide