Transparent Conducting Oxides: Texture and Microstructure Effects on Charge Carrier Mobility in MOCVD-Derived CdO Thin Films Grown with A Thermally Stable, Low-Melting Precursor

A series of low-melting, thermally stable cadmium metal−organic chemical vapor deposition
(MOCVD) precursors have been synthesized, structurally and spectroscopically characterized, and
implemented in growth of highly conductive and transparent CdO thin films. One member of the series,
bis(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentanedionato)(N,N-diethyl-N‘,N‘-dimethyl-ethylenediamine)cadmium(II),
Cd(hfa)2(N,N-DE-N‘,N‘-DMEDA), represents a particularly significant improvement over previously available
Cd precursors, owing to the low melting point and robust thermal stability. High-quality CdO films were
grown by MOCVD on glass and single-crystal MgO(100) between 300 and 412 °C. Film growth parameters
and substrate surface have large effects on microstructure and electron carrier transport properties.
Enhanced mobilities observed for highly biaxially textured films grown on MgO(100) vs glass are attributed,
on the basis of DC charge transport and microstructure analysis, to a reduction in neutral impurity scattering
and/or to a more densely packed grain microstructure. Although single-grained films grown on MgO(100)
exhibit greater mobilities than analogues with discrete ∼100 nm grains and similar texture, this effect is
attributed, on the basis of charge transport and Hall effect measurements as well as optical reflectivity
analysis, to differences in carrier concentration rather than to reduced grain boundary scattering.
Unprecedented conductivities and mobilities as high as 11,000 S/cm and 307 cm2/V·s, respectively, are
obtained for epitaxial single-grained films (X-ray diffraction parameters:  fwhmω = 0.30°, fwhmφ = 0.27°)
grown in situ on MgO(100) at a relatively low temperature (400 °C).