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Novel designs of magnetron sputtering sources provide desired control over plasma parameters for efficient use of mass and energy transport during the deposition of thin films. Here, a cup-like magnetron source, comprising a base and a cylinder part, is developed and diagnosed for deposition of transparent conductive Al doped ZnO thin films. The coupling of the base or/and cylinder parts, applied power and working pressure are systematically varied and consequent effects on the plasma density, electron temperature, and substrate temperature are studied. The sensitive optical emission and absorption spectroscopic results of plasmas reveal that base source mainly delivers the Zn ionic species whereas coupling of cylinder source induces higher ion-electron recombination and lowering the substrate temperature. The present source is capable of producing Al doped ZnO thin films with resistivity in the range of 5 × 10 −2 Ωcm to 12.1 Ωcm and process throughput close to 40 nm/min under conditions of plasma induced substrate temperature ≤60 °C. The obtained values have promising applications for flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, homogeneous Ag-doped Sb 2 Te 3 (AST) thin films were prepared using the rf magnetron sputtering technique. Thermoelectric properties of AST films have been investigated in terms of various substrate rotation speeds (20, 40, 60, and 80 rpm) and rapid post-thermal treatments at 250 oCin a vacuum. It was found that the thickness of AST films decreases with the increase in substrate rotation speeds. An Ag atomic composition slightly increases and the other Sb and Te atomic compositions slightly decrease with the increase of substrate speed rotations. The post-thermal treatment improved film crystallinity. Carrier scatterings at the grain boundaries tend to increase the resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient. The maximum power factor of 4.60 mW m−1K−2 (ρ = 19 μΩm, S = 298 μVK−1) is obtained in the AST thin films prepared with the substrate rotation speed of 60 rpm. The practical application of AST films was also reported via a thermoelectric module of five p -AST/n-Bi 2 Te 3 thin-film pairs with its achieved output power of 1.6 nW at ΔT = 20 K. • Ag–Sb–Te (AST) thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering. • Substrate rotation speed at 60 rpm induced highly homogeneous and more uniformity of thin films. • Rapid thermal annealing has changed amorphous to crystalline thin films as well as microstructure and thermoelectric properties enhancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]