Zinc–Tin Oxide Film as an Earth-Abundant Material and Its Versatile Applications to Electronic and Energy Materials

Abstract

Zinc–Tin Oxide (ZTO) films potentially offer desirable properties for next-generation devices and are considered promising candidates due to the following merits: (I) zinc and tin are abundant on Earth, with estimated reserves of approximately 250 million tons and 4.3 billion tons, respectively, (II) zinc and tin are harmless to the human body, and (III) large-area manufacturing with various synthesis processes is available. Considering the advantages and promises of these ZTO films, this review provides a timely overview of the progress and efforts in developing ZTO-based electronic and energy devices. This review revisits the ZTO films used for various device applications, including thin-film transistors, memory devices, solar cells, and sensors, focusing on their strong and weak points. This paper also discusses the opportunities and challenges for using ZTO films in further practical electronic and energy device applications.