PRODUCING A LAYER OF TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE ZINC OXIDE

摘要

A process for providing a layer (15) of an optionally doped transparent electrically conductive zinc oxide on a heated substrate (8) in which a solution of a thermally decomposable precursor for the zinc oxide is sprayed towards the substrate and the spray is subjected to sufficient radiant heating firstly to evaporate the solvent and create a particulate residue and secondly to cause the residue to sublime. The residue is adsorbed onto the substrate or growing layer and undergoes surface diffusion and pyrollysis leading to growth of the layer of zinc oxide. The layer is probably nucleated and has a high degree of ordering between adjacent crystallites. Also a layer of zinc oxide having planes in its crystalline structure which are predominantly orientated parallel with the surface of the substrate.