Characteristics of the Mg-Doped Cr-Deficient CuCr_0.95Mg_0.02O₂ Thin Films Prepared by Using Pulsed Laser Deposition

2 at% Mg doped thin films of delafossite CuCrO₂ and Cr-deficient CuCr_0.97O₂ were prepared by pulsed laser deposition. The films were grown on c-sapphire single crystal substrates at a range of substrate temperatures, and the effects of the processing parameters on thin film properties were examined. The crystallinity improved with increasing substrate temperature and Mg-doping. The substitution of Mg in the CuCrO₂ and Cr-deficient CuCr_0.97O₂ thin films increased the electrical conductivity significantly with a slight decrease in optical transmittance. By introducing Mg-doping to Cr-deficient CuCr_0.97O₂ thin films, a CuCr_0.95Mg_0.02O₂ thin film with an electrical conductivity of 29.63 S/cm and a mean optical transmittance of 60% was fabricated.