We obtained zinc oxide films doped with aluminum using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Their morphology, growth mode, optical and electrical properties are studied. Al content dependence is analyzed. Carrier scattering mechanisms in ZnO:Al (AZO) films are investigated from conductivity versus temperature measurements. We also discuss how the film thickness affects its resistivity and optical transmission. The obtained film resistivities, i.e. 7 × 10⁻⁴ Ωcm, belong to the lowest reported so far for transparent ZnO:Al films grown by the ALD method.

We show that the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique has great potential for widespread use in the production of ZnO films for applications in electronic, photovoltaic (PV), and optoelectronic devices. The low growth temperature makes ALD-grown ZnO films suitable for fabrication of various semiconductor/organic hybrid structures. This opens up the possibility of novel devices based on very cheap organic materials, including organic light emitting diodes and third-generation PV cells.