Characteristics of the Mg-Doped Cr-Deficient CuCr<SUB>0.95</SUB>Mg<SUB>0.02</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> Thin Films Prepared by Using Pulsed Laser Deposition

2 at% Mg doped thin films of delafossite CuCrO2 and Cr-deficient CuCr0.97O2 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 CuCr0.97O2 thin films increased the electrical conductivity significantly with a slight decrease in optical transmittance. By introducing Mg-doping to Cr-deficient CuCr0.97O2 thin films, a CuCr0.95Mg0.02O2 thin film with an electrical conductivity of 29.63 S/cm and a mean optical transmittance of 60% was fabricated.