Ultimate laser-driven restructuring and defect formation dynamics in doped ZnO thin films – ULTRAZO

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are optically transparent thin films of metal oxides used as functional thin films in many applications such as photovoltaics, OLEDs, touch screens, insulating and smart glazing and are crucial for energy transition. High conductivity TCO films require an energetically costly baking step of the film/substrate system, which makes it difficult to decorrelate crystallization, diffusion, activation and defect formation processes that have different activation times and energies. The very large surfaces necessary to cover all these needs together with environmental concerns demand high yield fabrication processes with abundant non-toxic materials and with the Iowest possible energy and raw material consumption.
The main scientific goal of the ULTRAZO project is to intimately understand and master the local laser modification dynamics at different time scales in out-of-equilibrium inorganic metal oxides. Carefully selected laser beams will be used to deliver precise amounts of energy with precise spatial and temporal widths to ensure precisely control the transformations with a minimal energetic budget and strongly reduce undesired processes. A large pool of real time characterization techniques (including pump probe) and simulations tools (finite elements, atomistic) will be exploited to interpret the different phenomena observed at different time scales.
The project focuses on sputtered aluminum doped ZnO (AZO), a non-toxic, abundant material compatible with wide area deposition processes, but the methodology will be transposable to other TCOs. The project knowledge outcomes will have immediate application in new more sustainable transparent conductive oxides with outstanding performances.