Method of passivating ultra-thin AZO with nano-layer alumina
View Patent ↗A method of making an electrical conductor includes depositing an ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer on a surface and using atomic layer deposition to deposit a nano-layer including alumina in contact and conformal with a surface of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide.
1. A method of forming an electrical conductor, comprising:
depositing an ultra-thin layer having a thickness less than or equal to 100 nm including aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer on a surface;
using atomic layer deposition to deposit a nano-layer including alumina in contact and conformal with a surface of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide; and
locating an electrical contact in electrical communication with the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide through the nano-layer including alumina.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including depositing the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer by atomic layer deposition.
3. The method of claim 1 , further including depositing the nano-layer including alumina using spatial atomic layer deposition.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including depositing the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide using spatial atomic layer deposition.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide has a thickness less than or equal to 100 nm.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nano-layer including alumina has a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance between the electrical contact and the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 2,000 ohms.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance between the electrical contact and the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 1,000 ohms.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical resistance between the electrical contact and the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 500 ohms.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 10,000 ohms per square.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 5,000 ohms per square.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 500 ohms per square.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is less than or equal to 250 ohms per square.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of aluminum to zinc in the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is greater than zero and less than or equal to 15%.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide is a super-lattice having less than 15% aluminum content.
16. A method of forming an electrical conductor, comprising:
depositing an ultra-thin layer having a thickness less than or equal to 100 nm including aluminum-doped zinc oxide layer on a surface;
using atomic layer deposition to deposit a nano-layer including alumina in contact and conformal with a surface of the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc oxide; and
locating a plurality of electrical contacts in electrical communication with the ultra-thin layer including aluminum-doped zinc-oxide through the nano-layer including alumina.