Abstract
ZnO thin films were deposited onto flexible PolyβEthylene Terephthalate and PolyβEthylene Naphthalate substrates in an ultraβhigh vacuum chamber by Pulsed DC Magnetron Sputtering. The process took place at room temperature and in argon atmosphere with fixed pressure, by applying two different power values on the target, in order to investigate their effect on the growth, optical, nanostructural and topographical properties of the films. Inβsitu and realβtime Spectroscopic Ellipsometry in the 1.5β6.5 eV energy region has been employed to monitor the ZnO deposition, which revealed information about the growth mechanisms, interface phenomena and optical properties of the films. Transmission Electron Microscopy was used in order to investigate the structural characteristics of the films and to examine the film/polymer interface properties. The Xβray Diffraction measurements revealed the changes in films structure caused by the change of the target power, nevertheless all films were preferentially grown along the (002) axis. Finally, with Atomic Force Microscopy the surface roughness of the films was defined correlated also with the target power applied. (Β© 2008 WILEYβVCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)