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Advances for enhancing the electrical properties and microhardness activity of ZnO/Cu/ZnO thin films prepared by ALD

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Abstract

Substantial consideration is being devoted to the innovation of AC Conductivity, sheet resistance measurements and Microhardness as a function of Cu interlayer thickness of conductive ZnO/Cu/ZnO thin films. ZnO layer was successfully prepared via atomic layer deposition (ALD), while Cu interlayer was deposited by Dc magnetron sputtering. The combination of ZnO/Cu/ZnO with constant ZnO thickness (70 nm) and variable Cu interlayer thickness (20, 50 and 70 nm), has its own individuality in enhancing the performance of the electrical and mechanical properties. The proposed methodology based on the previously published data of the structural characterization, proved to be very effective. The study of (XRD) and (SEM) revealed an increase in particle size with the increase in Cu content. The outcome of the absorption measurements supports the existence of allowed direct transition for ZnO/Cu/ZnO thin films, and the optical energy gap is strongly dependent on the amount of Cu interlayer thickness. The AC conductivity is explored in the frequency range of (1 MHz–1 GHz) and the temperature range of (293 to 423 K). At different frequencies AC conductivity measurements demonstrate a decrement with the increment of Cu content. An agreement between experimental and theoretical results suggests that the behavior of AC conductivity can be successfully explained by Correlated Barrier Hopping (CBH) model, to elucidate the conduction mechanism existing in our ZnO/Cu/ZnO system. A superior combination between mechanical and electrical properties was evaluated by Vickers hardness and the 4-point technique. The obtained results demonstrate that the layer thickness and the layer thickness ratio of ZnO and Cu are the important parameters which are responsible for the improvement of structural, electrical and mechanical properties of ZnO/Cu/ZnO multilayer films. These findings pave the way for the future development of novel energy devices and photocatalytic and absorption applications.

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Acknowledgements

The samples used in this study were prepared, at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, according to the agreement between Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University “Coordinator and Supervisor Prof.Dr.Suzan Fouad” and faculty of Science and Technology , University of Debrecen” Coordinator and Supervisor Prof.Dr.Zoltán Erdélyi.” The electrical and dielectric properties were measured in the Electric and Dielectric Measurements Unit, and the hardness measurements were measured in the metal physics laboratory (MPL) at National Research Center (NRC) Egypt. Project No. TKP2021-NKTA-34 has been implemented with the support provided from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary, Financed under the TKP2021-NKTA funding scheme.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt

    S. S. Fouad

  2. Depaetment of Solid-State Physics, National Research Centre, Physics Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt

    L. I. Soliman

  3. Departement of Environmental Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Poroszlay U.6, Debrecen, 4026, Hungary

    E. Baradács

  4. Departement of Solid- State Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, P.O. Box 400, Debrecen, 4002, Hungary

    E. Baradács, B. Parditka & Zoltán Erdélyi

  5. Basic Science Department, Modern Academy for Engineering and Technology in Maadi, Cairo, Egypt

    M. E. Sayed & N. F. Osman

  6. Department of Basic Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering (Shoubra), Benha University, Benha, Egypt

    M. Nabil

Authors
  1. S. S. Fouad
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  2. L. I. Soliman
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  3. E. Baradács
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  4. M. E. Sayed
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  5. B. Parditka
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  6. N. F. Osman
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  7. M. Nabil
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  8. Zoltán Erdélyi
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Contributions

S.S. Fouad:- The idea and the writing and the revision. Eszter Baradács and Bence Parditka:- Prepared samples and made the characterizations. N.F.Osman and M.E.Sayed:- Calculated the different parameters and prepared the results. L.I.Soliman:- Following up all the measurements and Revision. M.Nabil:- Prepared all the figures in the final form and responsible on the correspondence. Zoltán Erdélyi:- Prepared and supervising all the characteristics that had been made in Debrecen.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Nabil.

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Fouad, S.S., Soliman, L.I., Baradács, E. et al. Advances for enhancing the electrical properties and microhardness activity of ZnO/Cu/ZnO thin films prepared by ALD. J Mater Sci 58, 6632–6642 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-023-08411-9

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