Transparent conductivity in polycrystal bismuth thin films grown on glass by molecular beam epitaxy

Bismuth (Bi) films were prepared using the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method and characterised using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectrophotometer, physical property measurement system and contact angle measurements. The experiment results demonstrated that Bi films with excellent transport characteristics were obtained via thickness adjustment. The Bi film exhibited excellent strong anisotropy at ~ 29 nm thickness. Meanwhile, the magnetoresistance (MR) was 20%, and the semimetal-semiconductor transition temperature was 54 K. The Bi film had satisfactory luminous transmittance, achieving a balance between light transmittance and electrical properties. Furthermore, the Bi film exhibits excellent hydrophobicity. This work suggests that Bi film become an excellent candidate for transparent conductive film materials and contact electrodes.