M. de la L. Olvera, A. Maldonado, R. Asomoza

Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica-SEES, CINVESTAV-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, México D.F. 07000, México.

M. Meléndez-Lira

Departamento de Física, CINVESTAV-IPN, Apdo. Postal 14-740, México D.F. 07000, México.

We present the results of a chemical etching stability study carried out on ZnO thin films doped with several elements deposited by spray pirolysis. Prior to the etching, a structural study was done by X-ray diffractometry and the texture of the samples was obtained by scanning electron microscopy. The samples were etched employing a solution of diluted hydrochloric acid. The echting rates obtained for the different samples depend on the dopant element an our results confirm that films doped with Cr present the highest stability agains the chemical etching.