Texture Manipulation and Its Impact on Electrical Properties of Zinc Phosphide Thin Films

Both randomly oriented and highly (220) textured thin films of zinc phosphide (Zn₃P₂) were grown by the close-space sublimation method. The effect of deposition parameters, such as pressure and substrate temperature, on the texture evolution has been established. It was found that the deposition temperature plays a dominant role in determining the preferred orientation whereas the ambient pressure (below 10 Torr) does not greatly affect the film texture. We further found that the microstrain changes from tensile at lower deposition temperatures to compressive at higher deposition temperatures. The preferred orientation also had a strong impact on the electrical resistivity of the films. The results provide guidance on the selection of substrate and deposition parameters to grow Zn₃P₂ thin films with desirable properties.