Manufacture of specific structure of aluminum-doped zinc oxide films by patterning the substrate surface

(0001)-oriented aluminum-doped zinc oxide films were prepared using a magnetron sputtering technique. High-resolution transmission-electron- microscopic images show that the oriented grains nucleate directly on the substrate surface and grow with equal lateral dimensions through the film thickness. A surface-energy-driven self-texture mechanism was proposed on the basis of process modes. A method for manufacturing specific film structure by patterning the substrate surface is tested and discussed.