High (> 350 C) temperature DC-sputtering deposition of ZnO: Al thin films onto single-crystal (00.1) oriented Al 2 O 3 (sapphire) substrates is reported, using a ultrahigh-density, low-resistivity and low-cost composite ceramic target produced by slip-casting (pressureless) sintering of ZnO–Al 2 O 3 (AZO) powders. The original combination of high-angle θ–2θ (Bragg–Brentano geometry) X-ray diffraction with low angle θ–2θ X-ray reflectivity (XRR) techniques allows us to define the AZO target composition and …