REVIEW ARTICLE: Structure, microstructure and physical properties of ZnO based materials in various forms: bulk, thin film and nano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Shubra; Thiyagarajan, P.; Mohan Kant, K.; Anita, D.; Thirupathiah, S.; Rama, N.; Tiwari, Brajesh; Kottaisamy, M.; Ramachandra Rao, M. S.

2007-10-01

ZnO is a unique material that offers about a dozen different application possibilities. In spite of the fact that the ZnO lattice is amenable to metal ion doping (3d and 4f), the physics of doping in ZnO is not completely understood. This paper presents a review of previous research works on ZnO and also highlights results of our research activities on ZnO. The review pertains to the work on Al and Mg doping for conductivity and band gap tuning in ZnO followed by a report on transition metal (TM) ion doped ZnO. This review also highlights the work on the transport and optical studies of TM ion doped ZnO, nanostructured growth (ZnO polycrystalline and thin films) by different methods and the formation of unique nano- and microstructures obtained by pulsed laser deposition and chemical methods. This is followed by results on ZnO encapsulated Fe3O4 nanoparticles that show promising trends suitable for various applications. We have also reviewed the non-linear characteristic studies of ZnO based heterostructures followed by an analysis on the work carried out on ZnO based phosphors, which include mainly the nanocrystalline ZnO encapsulated SiO2, a new class of phosphor that is suitable for white light emission.

Impact of Substrate Types on Structure and Emission of ZnO Nanocrystalline Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballardo Rodriguez, I. Ch.; El Filali, B.; Díaz Cano, A. I.; Torchynska, T. V.

2018-02-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) films were simultaneously synthesized by an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) method on p-type Si (100), silicon carbide polytype [6H-SiC (0001)], porous 6H-SiC and amorphous glass substrates with the aim of studying the impact of substrate types on the structure and emission of ZnO nanocrystalline films. Porous silicon carbide (P-SiC) was prepared by the electrochemical anodization method at a constant potential of 20 V and etching time of 12 min. ZnO films grown on the SiC and P-SiC substrates are characterized by a wurtzite crystal structure with preferential growth along the (002) direction and with grain sizes of 90-180 and 70-160 nm, respectively. ZnO films grown on the Si substrate have just some small irregular hexagonal islands. The amorphous glass substrate did not promote the formation of any regular crystal forms. The obtained x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence (PL) results have shown that the better ZnO film crystallinity and high PL intensity of near-band edge emissions were achieved in the films grown on the porous SiC and SiC substrates. The preferential growth and crystalline nature of ZnO films on the SiC substrate have been discussed from the point of view of the lattice parameter compatibility between ZnO and SiC crystals.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anilkumar, T. S., E-mail: anil24march@gmail.com; Girija, M. L., E-mail: girija.ml.grt1@gmail.com; Venkatesh, J., E-mail: phph9502@yahoo.com

2016-05-06

Zinc oxide (ZnO) Thin films were deposited on glass substrate using Spin coating method. Zinc acetate dehydrate, Carbinol and Mono-ethanolamine were used as the precursor, solvent and stabilizer respectively to prepare ZnO Thin-films. The molar ratio of Monoethanolamine to Zinc acetate was maintained as approximately 1. The thickness of the films was determined by Interference technique. The optical properties of the films were studied by UV Vis-Spectrophotometer. From transmittance and absorbance curve, the energy band gap of ZnO is found out. Electrical Conductivity measurements of ZnO are carried out by two probe method and Activation energy for the electrical conductivitymore » of ZnO are found out. The crystal structure and orientation of the films were analyzed by XRD. The XRD patterns show that the ZnO films are polycrystalline with wurtzite hexagonal structure.« less

Impact of nanostructured thin ZnO film in ultraviolet protection.

PubMed

Sasani Ghamsari, Morteza; Alamdari, Sanaz; Han, Wooje; Park, Hyung-Ho

2017-01-01

Nanoscale ZnO is one of the best choices for ultraviolet (UV) protection, not only because of its antimicrobial properties but also due to its potential application for UV preservation. However, the behavior of nanostructured thin ZnO films and long-term effects of UV-radiation exposure have not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated the UV-protection ability of sol gel-derived thin ZnO films after different exposure times. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and UV-visible optical spectroscopy were carried out to study the structure and optical properties of the ZnO films as a function of the UV-irradiation time. The results obtained showed that the prepared thin ZnO films were somewhat transparent under the visible wavelength region and protective against UV radiation. The UV-protection factor was 50+ for the prepared samples, indicating that they were excellent UV protectors. The deposited thin ZnO films demonstrated promising antibacterial potential and significant light absorbance in the UV range. The experimental results suggest that the synthesized samples have potential for applications in the health care field.

Disorder induced semiconductor to metal transition and modifications of grain boundaries in nanocrystalline zinc oxide thin film

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Fouran; Kumar, Vinod; Chaudhary, Babloo

2012-10-01

This paper report on the disorder induced semiconductor to metal transition (SMT) and modifications of grain boundaries in nanocrystalline zinc oxide thin film. Disorder is induced using energetic ion irradiation. It eliminates the possibility of impurities induced transition. However, it is revealed that some critical concentration of defects is needed for inducing such kind of SMT at certain critical temperature. Above room temperature, the current-voltage characteristics in reverse bias attributes some interesting phenomenon, such as electric field induced charge transfer, charge trapping, and diffusion of defects. The transition is explained by the defects induced disorder and strain in ZnO crystallitesmore » created by high density of electronic excitations.« less

Impact of nanostructured thin ZnO film in ultraviolet protection

PubMed Central

Sasani Ghamsari, Morteza; Alamdari, Sanaz; Han, Wooje; Park, Hyung-Ho

2017-01-01

Nanoscale ZnO is one of the best choices for ultraviolet (UV) protection, not only because of its antimicrobial properties but also due to its potential application for UV preservation. However, the behavior of nanostructured thin ZnO films and long-term effects of UV-radiation exposure have not been studied yet. In this study, we investigated the UV-protection ability of sol gel-derived thin ZnO films after different exposure times. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and UV-visible optical spectroscopy were carried out to study the structure and optical properties of the ZnO films as a function of the UV-irradiation time. The results obtained showed that the prepared thin ZnO films were somewhat transparent under the visible wavelength region and protective against UV radiation. The UV-protection factor was 50+ for the prepared samples, indicating that they were excellent UV protectors. The deposited thin ZnO films demonstrated promising antibacterial potential and significant light absorbance in the UV range. The experimental results suggest that the synthesized samples have potential for applications in the health care field. PMID:28096668

Development of nanostructured ZnO thin film via electrohydrodynamic atomization technique and its photoconductivity characteristics.

PubMed

Duraisamy, Navaneethan; Kwon, Ki Rin; Jo, Jeongdai; Choi, Kyung-Hyun

2014-08-01

This article presents the non-vacuum technique for the preparation of nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film on glass substrate through electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) technique. The detailed process parameters for achieving homogeneous ZnO thin films are clearly discussed. The crystallinity and surface morphology of ZnO thin film are investigated by X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The result shows that the deposited ZnO thin film is oriented in the wurtzite phase with void free surface morphology. The surface roughness of deposited ZnO thin film is found to be ~17.8 nm. The optical properties of nanostructured ZnO thin films show the average transmittance is about 90% in the visible region and the energy band gap is found to be 3.17 eV. The surface chemistry and purity of deposited ZnO thin films are analyzed by fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, conforming the presence of Zn-O in the deposited thin films without any organic moiety. The photocurrent measurement of nanostructured ZnO thin film is examined in the presence of UV light illumination with wavelength of 365 nm. These results suggest that the deposited nanostructured ZnO thin film through EHDA technique possess promising applications in the near future.

Synthesis and annealing study of RF sputtered ZnO thin film

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Shushant Kumar, E-mail: singhshushant86@gmail.com; Sharma, Himanshu; Singhal, R.

2016-05-23

In this paper, we have investigated the annealing effect on optical and structural properties of ZnO thin films, synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering. ZnO thin films were deposited on glass and silicon substrates simultaneously at a substrate temperature of 300 °C using Argon gas in sputtering chamber. Thickness of as deposited ZnO thin film was found to be ~155 nm, calculated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). These films were annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C temperature in the continuous flow of oxygen gas for 1 hour in tube furnace. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structuremore » of ZnO thin film along the c-axis (002) orientation. Transmittance of thin films was increased with increasing the annealing temperature estimated by UV-visible transmission spectroscopy. Quality and texture of the thin films were improved with annealing temperature, estimated by Raman spectroscopy.« less

Subtractive Plasma-Assisted-Etch Process for Developing High Performance Nanocrystalline Zinc-Oxide Thin-Film-Transistors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS THESIS Thomas M. Donigan, First Lieutenant, USAF AFIT-ENG-MS-15-M-027 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR...DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMANCE NANOCRYSTALLINE ZINC-OXIDE THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Electrical and...15-M-027 SUBTRACTIVE PLASMA-ASSISTED-ETCH PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING HIGH PERFORMANCE NANOCRYSTALLINE ZINC-OXIDE THIN - FILM - TRANSISTORS

ZnO Thin Film Electronics for More than Displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, Jose Israel

Zinc oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) are investigated in this work for large-area electronic applications outside of display technology. A constant pressure, constant flow, showerhead, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process has been developed to fabricate high mobility TFTs and circuits on rigid and flexible substrates at 200 °C. ZnO films and resulting devices prepared by PEALD and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) have been compared. Both PEALD and PLD ZnO films result in densely packed, polycrystalline ZnO thin films that were used to make high performance devices. PEALD ZnO TFTs deposited at 300 °C have a field-effect mobility of ˜ 40 cm2/V-s (and > 20 cm2/V-S deposited at 200 °C). PLD ZnO TFTs, annealed at 400 °C, have a field-effect mobility of > 60 cm2/V-s (and up to 100 cm2/V-s). Devices, prepared by either technique, show high gamma-ray radiation tolerance of up to 100 Mrad(SiO2) with only a small radiation-induced threshold voltage shift (VT ˜ -1.5 V). Electrical biasing during irradiation showed no enhanced radiation-induced effects. The study of the radiation effects as a function of material stack thicknesses revealed the majority of the radiation-induced charge collection happens at the semiconductor-passivation interface. A simple sheet-charge model at that interface can describe the radiation-induced charge in ZnO TFTs. By taking advantage of the substrate-agnostic process provided by PEALD, due to its low-temperature and excellent conformal coatings, ZnO electronics were monolithically integrated with thin-film complex oxides. Application-based examples where ZnO electronics provide added functionality to complex oxide-based devices are presented. In particular, the integration of arrayed lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 or PZT) thin films with ZnO electronics for microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) and deformable mirrors is demonstrated. ZnO switches can provide voltage to PZT capacitors with fast charging and slow

Doping induced c-axis oriented growth of transparent ZnO thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mistry, Bhaumik V.; Joshi, U. S.

2018-04-01

c-Axis oriented In doped ZnO (IZO) transparent conducting thin films were optimized on glass substrate using sol gel spin coating method. The Indium content in ZnO was varied systematically and the structural parameters were studied. Along with the crystallographic properties, the optoelectronic and electrical properties of IZO thin films were investigated in detail. The IZO thin films revealed hexagonal wurtzite structure. It was found that In doping in ZnO promotes the c-axis oriented growth of the thin films deposited on amorphous substrate. The particle size of the IZO films were increase as doping content increases from 2% to 5%. The 2% In doped ZnO film show electrical resistivity of 0.11 Ω cm, which is far better than the reported value for ZnO thin film. Better than 75% average optical transmission was estimated in the wavelength range from 400-800 nm. Systematic variartions in the electron concentration and band gap was observed with increasing In doping. Note worthy finding is that, with suitable amount of In doping improves not only transparency and conductivity but also improves the preferred orientation of the oxide thin film.

Highly stable precursor solution containing ZnO nanoparticles for the preparation of ZnO thin film transistors.

PubMed

Huang, Heh-Chang; Hsieh, Tsung-Eong

2010-07-23

ZnO particles with an average size of about 5 nm were prepared via a sol-gel chemical route and the silane coupling agent, (3-glycidyloxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane (GPTS), was adopted to enhance the dispersion of the ZnO nanoparticles in ethyl glycol (EG) solution. A ZnO surface potential as high as 66 mV was observed and a sedimentation test showed that the ZnO precursor solution remains transparent for six months of storage, elucidating the success of surface modification on ZnO nanoparticles. The ZnO thin films were then prepared by spin coating the precursor solution on a Si wafer and annealing treatments at temperatures up to 500 degrees C were performed for subsequent preparation of ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs). Microstructure characterization revealed that the coalescence of ZnO nanoparticles occurs at temperatures as low as 200 degrees C to result in a highly uniform, nearly pore-free layer. However, annealing at higher temperatures was required to remove organic residues in the ZnO layer for satisfactory device performance. The 500 degrees C-annealed ZnO TFT sample exhibited the best electrical properties with on/off ratio = 10(5), threshold voltage = 17.1 V and mobility (micro) = 0.104 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).

Microstructure of ZnO Thin Films Deposited by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2015-0185 MICROSTRUCTURE OF ZNO THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY HIGH POWER IMPULSE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING (POSTPRINT) A. N. Reed...COVERED (From – To) 29 January 2013 – 16 February 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE MICROSTRUCTURE OF ZNO THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY HIGH POWER IMPULSE MAGNETRON...ABSTRACT High power impulse magnetron sputtering was used to deposit thin (~100 nm) zinc oxide (ZnO) films from a ceramic ZnO target onto substrates

Effect of K-doping on structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Linhua; Li, Xiangyin; Yuan, Jun

2008-09-01

In this work, K-doped ZnO thin films were prepared by a sol-gel method on Si(111) and glass substrates. The effect of different K-doping concentrations on structural and optical properties of the ZnO thin films was studied. The results showed that the 1 at.% K-doped ZnO thin film had the best crystallization quality and the strongest ultraviolet emission ability. When the concentration of K was above 1 at.%, the crystallization quality and ultraviolet emission ability dropped. For the K-doped ZnO thin films, there was not only ultraviolet emission, but also a blue emission signal in their photoluminescent spectra. The blue emission might be connected with K impurity or/and the intrinsic defects (Zn interstitial and Zn vacancy) of the ZnO thin films.

Seedless-grown of ZnO thin films for photoelectrochemical water splitting application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Aidahani; Hamid, Muhammad Azmi Abdul; Chiu, W. S.

2018-04-01

We developed a seedless hydrothermal method to grow a flower like ZnO nanorods. Prior to the growth, a layer of Au thin film is sputtered onto the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate. The morphological, structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructures were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and diffuse reflection measurement to understand the growth process of the working thin film. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) results suggest that the deposition of ZnO nanorods on Au nanoparticles plays an important role in enhancing the photoelectrode activity. H2 evolution from photo-splitting of water over Au-incorporated ZnO in the 0.1M NaOH liquid system was enhanced, compared to that over bare ZnO; particularly, the production of 15.5 µL of H2 gas after twenty five minutes exposure of ZnO grown on Au-coated thin film.

Effect of Mg doping in ZnO buffer layer on ZnO thin film devices for electronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, Pushpa; Chakrabarti, P.

2016-05-01

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films have been grown on p-silicon (Si) substrate using magnesium doped ZnO (Mg: ZnO) buffer layer by radio-frequency (RF) sputtering method. In this paper, we have optimized the concentration of Mg (0-5 atomic percent (at. %)) ZnO buffer layer to examine its effect on ZnO thin film based devices for electronic and optoelectronic applications. The crystalline nature, morphology and topography of the surface of the thin film have been characterized. The optical as well as electrical properties of the active ZnO film can be tailored by varying the concentration of Mg in the buffer layer. The crystallite size in the active ZnO thin film was found to increase with the Mg concentration in the buffer layer in the range of 0-3 at. % and subsequently decrease with increasing Mg atom concentration in the ZnO. The same was verified by the surface morphology and topography studies carried out with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic electron microscopy (AFM) respectively. The reflectance in the visible region was measured to be less than 80% and found to decrease with increase in Mg concentration from 0 to 3 at. % in the buffer region. The optical bandgap was initially found to increase from 3.02 eV to 3.74 eV by increasing the Mg content from 0 to 3 at. % but subsequently decreases and drops down to 3.43 eV for a concentration of 5 at. %. The study of an Au:Pd/ZnO Schottky diode reveals that for optimum doping of the buffer layer the device exhibits superior rectifying behavior. The barrier height, ideality factor, rectification ratio, reverse saturation current and series resistance of the Schottky diode were extracted from the measured current voltage (I-V) characteristics.

Performance improvement for solution-processed high-mobility ZnO thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sha Li, Chen; Li, Yu Ning; Wu, Yi Liang; Ong, Beng S.; Loutfy, Rafik O.

2008-06-01

The fabrication technology of stable, non-toxic, transparent, high performance zinc oxide (ZnO) thin-film semiconductors via the solution process was investigated. Two methods, which were, respectively, annealing a spin-coated precursor solution and annealing a drop-coated precursor solution, were compared. The prepared ZnO thin-film semiconductor transistors have well-controlled, preferential crystal orientation and exhibit superior field-effect performance characteristics. But the ZnO thin-film transistor (TFT) fabricated by annealing a drop-coated precursor solution has a distinctly elevated linear mobility, which further approaches the saturated mobility, compared with that fabricated by annealing a spin-coated precursor solution. The performance of the solution-processed ZnO TFT was further improved when substituting the spin-coating process by the drop-coating process.

Comparative study of ZnO nanorods and thin films for chemical and biosensing applications and the development of ZnO nanorods based potentiometric strontium ion sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khun, K.; Ibupoto, Z. H.; Chey, C. O.; Lu, Jun.; Nur, O.; Willander, M.

2013-03-01

In this study, the comparative study of ZnO nanorods and ZnO thin films were performed regarding the chemical and biosensing properties and also ZnO nanorods based strontium ion sensor is proposed. ZnO nanorods were grown on gold coated glass substrates by the hydrothermal growth method and the ZnO thin films were deposited by electro deposition technique. ZnO nanorods and thin films were characterised by field emission electron microscopy [FESEM] and X-ray diffraction [XRD] techniques and this study has shown that the grown nanostructures are highly dense, uniform and exhibited good crystal quality. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy [TEM] was used to investigate the quality of ZnO thin film and we observed that ZnO thin film was comprised of nano clusters. ZnO nanorods and thin films were functionalised with selective strontium ionophore salicylaldehyde thiosemicarbazone [ST] membrane, galactose oxidase, and lactate oxidase for the detection of strontium ion, galactose and L-lactic acid, respectively. The electrochemical response of both ZnO nanorods and thin films sensor devices was measured by using the potentiometric method. The strontium ion sensor has exhibited good characteristics with a sensitivity of 28.65 ± 0.52 mV/decade, for a wide range of concentrations from 1.00 × 10-6 to 5.00 × 10-2 M, selectivity, reproducibility, stability and fast response time of 10.00 s. The proposed strontium ion sensor was used as indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of strontium ion versus ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid [EDTA]. This comparative study has shown that ZnO nanorods possessed better performance with high sensitivity and low limit of detection due to high surface area to volume ratio as compared to the flat surface of ZnO thin films.

Effect of ZnO buffer layer on phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Huiqun; Li, Lekang; Li, Chunbo

2016-03-01

VO2 thin films were prepared on ZnO buffer layers by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature using vanadium target and post annealing at 400 °C. The ZnO buffer layers with different thickness deposited on glass substrates by magnetron sputtering have a high visible and near infrared optical transmittance. The electrical resistivity and the phase transition properties of the VO2/ZnO composite thin films in terms of temperature were investigated. The results showed that the resistivity variation of VO2 thin film with ZnO buffer layer deposited for 35 min was 16 KΩ-cm. The VO2/ZnO composite thin films exhibit a reversible semiconductor-metal phase transition at 48 °C.

Manipulation of ZnO composition affecting electrical properties of MEH-PPV: ZnO nanocomposite thin film via spin coating for OLEDs application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azhar, N. E. A.; Shariffudin, S. S.; Alrokayan, Salman A. H.; Khan, Haseeb A.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Recent investigations of the promising materials for optoelectronic have been demonstrated by introducing n-type inorganic material into conjugated polymer. Morphology, optical and electrical of nanocomposites thin films based on poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanotetrapods with various ZnO composition (0 wt% to 0.4 wt%) have been investigated. The MEH-PPV: ZnO nanocomposite thin film was deposited using spin-coating method. Surface morphology was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy and shows the uniform dispersion of MEH-PPV and ZnO phases for sample deposited at 0.2 wt%. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra shows the visible emission intensities increased when the ZnO composition increased. The current-voltage (I-V) measurement shows the highest conductivity of nanocomposite thin film deposited at 0.2 wt% of ZnO is 7.40 × 10-1 S. cm-1. This study will provide better performance and suitable for optoelectronic device especially OLEDs application.

Cu-Doped ZnO Thin Films Grown by Co-deposition Using Pulsed Laser Deposition for ZnO and Radio Frequency Sputtering for Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hyun Wook; Son, Jong Yeog

2018-05-01

Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) thin films were fabricated on single-crystalline (0001) Al2O3 substrates by co-deposition using pulsed laser deposition for ZnO and radio frequency sputtering for Cu. CZO thin films with 0-20% molar concentrations are obtained by adjusting the deposition rates of ZnO and Cu. The CZO thin films exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism, and CZO with 5% Cu molar concentration has maximum remanent magnetization, which is consistent with theoretical results.

Antibacterial studies of ZnO nanoparticle coatings on nanocrystalline YSZ irradiated with femtosecond laser light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Crysthal; Garcia, Valeria; Cuando, Natanael; Aguilar, Guillermo

2018-02-01

Recently, efforts have been made to create a transparent ceramic cranial implant comprised of nanocrystalline yttriastabilized zirconia (nc-YSZ) that will provide optical access to the brain. This has been referred to as Window to the Brain (WttB) in the literature. WttB will allow the use of laser and photonic treatments and diagnostics in areas with difficult optical access in the brain. Nevertheless, infection is still one of the frequent cranial implant complications. In most cases a second surgery is required to replace the infected implant. To address potential infections in the WttB platform, we have studied the antibacterial effect of a Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles coating on nc-YSZ. After coating with ZnO nanoparticles, the implant was irradiated with infrared femtosecond laser light. We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles through the Laser Ablation of Solids in Liquids (LASL) method, using a Zinc solid target in a liquid medium (water/acetone). Antibacterial coatings were obtained by air brush, using a precursor solution of ZnO nanoparticles in distilled water. Escherichia coli (E. coli) have been used as representative, clinical relevant bacteria to probe the antibacterial effect of the coating. Our previous studies suggested that the use of ZnO nanoparticles inhibit bacterial growth. Laser irradiation treatment alone also offers inhibition of bacterial growth, up to 70%. The incorporation of nanoparticles offers an additional 20% inhibition. Thus, this work represents the next step towards the development of a clinically-oriented transparent cranial implant.

SHI irradiation effect on pure and Mn doped ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khawal, H. A.; Raskar, N. D.; Dole, B. N.

2017-05-01

Investigated the structural, surface, electrical and modifications induced by Swift Heavy Ions (SHI) irradiation on pure and Mn substituted ZnO thin films were observed. Thin films of Zn1-xMnxO (x = 0.00, 0.04) were synthesized using the dip coating technique. All thin films irradiated by Li3+ swift heavy ions with fluence 5 × 1013 ions/cm2. The XRD peak reveals that all the samples exhibit wurtzite structures. Surface morphology of samples was investigated by SEM, it was observed that pristine samples of ZnO thin film shows spherical shape but for 4 % Mn substituted ZnO thin film with 5 × 1013 ions/cm2 fluence, it reveals that big grain spherical morphology like structure respectively. I-V characteristics were recorded in the voltage range -5 to 5 V. All curves were passed through origin and nearly linear exhibit ohmic in nature for the films.

Effect of Al doping on performance of ZnO thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Junchen; Han, Dedong; Li, Huijin; Yu, Wen; Zhang, Shendong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2018-03-01

In this work, we investigate the Aluminum-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films and their feasibility as the active layer for thin film transistors (TFTs). A comparison on performance is made between the AZO TFTs and ZnO TFTs. The electrical properties such as saturation mobility, subthreshold swing, and on-to-off current ratio are improved when AZO is utilized as the active layer. Oxygen component of the thin film materials indicates that Al is the suppressor for oxygen defect in active layer, which improves the subthreshold swing. Moreover, based on band structure analyzation, we observe that the carrier concentration of AZO is higher than ZnO, leading to the enhancement of saturation mobility. The microstructure of the thin films convey that the AZO films exhibit much smaller grain boundaries than ZnO films, which results in the lower off-state current and higher on-to-off current ratio of AZO TFTs. The AZO thin films show huge potential to be the active layer of TFTs.

Effect of rapid thermal annealing on nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films synthesized by swift heavy ion irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakurdesai, Madhavi; Kanjilal, D.; Bhattacharyya, Varsha

2012-08-01

Irradiation by swift heavy ions (SHI) is unique tool to synthesize nanocrystalline thin films. We have reported transformation of 100 nm thick amorphous films into nanocrystalline film due to irradiation by 100 MeV Ag ion beam. Oblate shaped nanoparticles having anatase phase of TiO2 were formed on the surface of the irradiated films. In the present investigation, these films are annealed at 350 °C for 2 min in oxygen atmosphere by Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) method. During RTA processing, the temperature rises abruptly and this thermal instability is expected to alter surface morphology, structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films. Thus in the present work, effect of RTA on SHI induced nanocrystalline thin films of TiO2 is studied. The effect of RTA processing on the shape and size of TiO2 nanoparticles is studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Glancing Angle X-ray Diffraction (GAXRD) studies are carried to investigate structural changes induced by RTA processing. Optical characterization is carried out by UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The changes observed in structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films after RTA processing are attributed to the annihilation of SHI induced defects.

Fabrication of Vertical Organic Light-Emitting Transistor Using ZnO Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Iizuka, Masaaki; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2007-04-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) combined with thin film transistor (TFT) are well suitable elements for low-cost, large-area active matrix displays. On the other hand, zinc oxide (ZnO) is a transparent material and its electrical conductivity is controlled from conductive to insulating by growth conditions. The drain current of ZnO FET is 180 μA. The OLED uses ZnO thin film (Al-doped) for the electron injection layer and is controlled by radio frequency (rf) and direct current (dc) sputtering conditions, such as Al concentration and gas pressure. Al concentration in the ZnO film and deposition rate have strong effects on electron injection. Furthermore, the OLED driven by ZnO FET shows a luminance of 13 cd/m2, a luminance efficiency of 0.7 cd/A, and an on-off ratio of 650.

Thermoluminescent properties of nanocrystalline ZnTe thin films: Structural and morphological studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajpal, Shashikant; Kumar, S. R.

2018-04-01

Zinc Telluride (ZnTe) is a binary II-VI direct band gap semiconducting material with cubic structure and having potential applications in different opto-electronic devices. Here we investigated the effects of annealing on the thermoluminescence (TL) of ZnTe thin films. A nanocrystalline ZnTe thin film was successfully electrodeposited on nickel substrate and the effect of annealing on structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied. The TL emission spectrum of as deposited sample is weakly emissive in UV region at ∼328 nm. The variation in the annealing temperature results into sharp increase in emission intensity at ∼328 nm along with appearance of a new peak at ∼437 nm in visible region. Thus, the deposited nanocrystalline ZnTe thin films exhibited excellent thermoluminescent properties upon annealing. Furthermore, the influence of annealing (annealed at 400 °C) on the solid state of ZnTe were also studied by XRD, SEM, EDS, AFM. It is observed that ZnTe thin film annealed at 400 °C after deposition provide a smooth and flat texture suited for optoelectronic applications.

Third generation biosensing matrix based on Fe-implanted ZnO thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Shibu; Gupta, Vinay; Sreenivas, K.; Tan, H. H.; Jagadish, C.

2010-09-01

Third generation biosensor based on Fe-implanted ZnO (Fe-ZnO) thin film has been demonstrated. Implantation of Fe in rf-sputtered ZnO thin film introduces redox center along with shallow donor level and thereby enhance its electron transfer property. Glucose oxidase (GOx), chosen as model enzyme, has been immobilized on the surface of the matrix. Cyclic voltammetry and photometric assay show that the prepared bioelectrode, GOx/Fe-ZnO/ITO/Glass is sensitive to the glucose concentration with enhanced response of 0.326 μA mM-1 cm-2 and low Km of 2.76 mM. The results show promising application of Fe-implanted ZnO thin film as an attractive matrix for third generation biosensing.

Surface-emitting stimulated emission in high-quality ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. Q.; Suemune, Ikuo; Kumano, H.; Wang, J.; Huang, S. H.

2004-10-01

High-quality ZnO thin films were grown by plasma-enhanced molecular-beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates. Three excitonic transitions associated with the valence bands A, B, and C were clearly revealed in the reflectance spectrum measured at 33K. This result indicates that the ZnO thin films have the wurtzite crystalline structure. The emission spectra were measured with backscattering geometry at room temperature. When the excitation exceeded a certain value, linewidth narrowing, nonlinear rise of emission intensity, and the shortening of the carrier lifetime were clearly observed and these demonstrate the onset of stimulated emission. Together with the ZnO thickness dependence, we conclude that the observation of a stimulated emission in a direction perpendicular to the film surface is predominantly due to scattering of the in-plane stimulated emission by slightly remaining surface undulations in the ZnO films.

High performance thin film transistor with ZnO channel layer deposited by DC magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Moon, Yeon-Keon; Moon, Dae-Yong; Lee, Sang-Ho; Jeong, Chang-Oh; Park, Jong-Wan

2008-09-01

Research in large area electronics, especially for low-temperature plastic substrates, focuses commonly on limitations of the semiconductor in thin film transistors (TFTs), in particular its low mobility. ZnO is an emerging example of a semiconductor material for TFTs that can have high mobility, while a-Si and organic semiconductors have low mobility (<1 cm2/Vs). ZnO-based TFTs have achieved high mobility, along with low-voltage operation low off-state current, and low gate leakage current. In general, ZnO thin films for the channel layer of TFTs are deposited with RF magnetron sputtering methods. On the other hand, we studied ZnO thin films deposited with DC magnetron sputtering for the channel layer of TFTs. After analyzing the basic physical and chemical properties of ZnO thin films, we fabricated a TFT-unit cell using ZnO thin films for the channel layer. The field effect mobility (micro(sat)) of 1.8 cm2/Vs and threshold voltage (Vth) of -0.7 V were obtained.

Effect of Doping Materials on the Low-Level NO Gas Sensing Properties of ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çorlu, Tugba; Karaduman, Irmak; Yildirim, Memet Ali; Ateş, Aytunç; Acar, Selim

2017-07-01

In this study, undoped, Cu-doped, and Ni-doped ZnO thin films have been successfully prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The structural, compositional, and morphological properties of the thin films are characterized by x-ray diffractometer, energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Doping effects on the NO gas sensing properties of these thin films were investigated depending on gas concentration and operating temperature. Cu-doped ZnO thin film exhibited a higher gas response than undoped and Ni-doped ZnO thin film at the operating temperature range. The sensor with Cu-doped ZnO thin film gave faster responses and recovery speeds than other sensors, so that is significant for the convenient application of gas sensor. The response and recovery speeds could be associated with the effective electron transfer between the Cu-doped ZnO and the NO molecules.

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films and grating structures for solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juneja, Sucheta; Sudhakar, Selvakumar; Khonina, Svetlana N.; Skidanov, Roman V.; Porfirevb, Alexey P.; Moissev, Oleg Y.; Kazanskiy, Nikolay L.; Kumar, Sushil

2016-03-01

Enhancement of optical absorption for achieving high efficiencies in thin film silicon solar cells is a challenge task. Herein, we present the use of grating structure for the enhancement of optical absorption. We have made grating structures and same can be integrated in hydrogenated micro/nanocrystalline silicon (μc/nc-Si: H) thin films based p-i-n solar cells. μc/nc-Si: H thin films were grown using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Grating structures integrated with μc/nc-Si: H thin film solar cells may enhance the optical path length and reduce the reflection losses and its characteristics can be probed by spectroscopic and microscopic technique with control design and experiment.

Formation of p-type ZnO thin film through co-implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Yao-Teng; Liou, Jhe-Wei; Woon, Wei-Yen

2017-01-01

We present a study on the formation of p-type ZnO thin film through ion implantation. Group V dopants (N, P) with different ionic radii are implanted into chemical vapor deposition grown ZnO thin film on GaN/sapphire substrates prior to thermal activation. It is found that mono-doped ZnO by N+ implantation results in n-type conductivity under thermal activation. Dual-doped ZnO film with a N:P ion implantation dose ratio of 4:1 is found to be p-type under certain thermal activation conditions. Higher p-type activation levels (1019 cm-3) under a wider thermal activation range are found for the N/P dual-doped ZnO film co-implanted by additional oxygen ions. From high resolution x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy it is concluded that the observed p-type conductivities are a result of the promoted formation of PZn-4NO complex defects via the concurrent substitution of nitrogen at oxygen sites and phosphorus at zinc sites. The enhanced solubility and stability of acceptor defects in oxygen co-implanted dual-doped ZnO film are related to the reduction of oxygen vacancy defects at the surface. Our study demonstrates the prospect of the formation of stable p-type ZnO film through co-implantation.

Growth and characterization of highly conducting Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films for optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sardana, Sanjay K.; Singh, Anil; Srivastava, Sanjay K.; Pandya, Dinesh K.

2018-05-01

A comparative study of undoped ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films deposited on glass substrate by spray pyrolysis has been carried out at various aqueous molar concentration of zinc acetate. The thin films deposited on glass shows the wurtzite phase of ZnO, confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The optical study shows the high transmittance over 80% in the visible regime. The band gap of AZO thin films shows a blue shift as compared to undoped ZnO, which has been attributed to Burstein-Moss shift. Heat treatment of these samples in vacuum showed the improved conductivity in compared to as-deposited thin films. The electric study shows the minimum resistivity of 8 x 10-3 Ω-cm and carrier concentration of 6.5 × 1019 /cm3 correspond to AZO thin films.

Oxygen vacancy-induced ferromagnetism in un-doped ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Peng; Wang, Weipeng; Liu, Can; Hu, Yang; Li, Zhengcao; Zhang, Zhengjun; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Baoyi; Cao, Xingzhong

2012-02-01

ZnO films became ferromagnetic when defects were introduced by thermal-annealing in flowing argon. This ferromagnetism, as shown by the photoluminescence measurement and positron annihilation analysis, was induced by the singly occupied oxygen vacancy with a saturated magnetization dependent positively on the amount of this vacancy. This study clarified the origin of the ferromagnetism of un-doped ZnO thin films and provides possibly an alternative way to prepare ferromagnetic ZnO films.

Effect of aluminium doping on structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films by sol-gel method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vijayaprasath, G.; Murugan, R.; Ravi, G., E-mail: raviganesa@rediffmail.com, E-mail: gravicrc@gmail.com

2015-06-24

We systematically investigated the structural, morphological and optical properties of 0.05 mol % Al doped ZnO (Al:ZnO) thin films deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel spin coating method. The influences of Al doping in ZnO thin films are characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction study. ZnO and Al:ZnO thin films have showed hexagonal wurtzite structure without any secondary phase in c-axis (002) orientation. The SEM images also proved the hexagonal rod like morphologies for both films. All the films exhibited transmittance of 70-80% in the visible range up to 800 nm and cut-off wavelength observed at ∼390 nm corresponding to the fundamental absorption ofmore » ZnO. The band gap of the ZnO thin films slightly widened with the Al doping. The photoluminescence properties have been studied for Al: ZnO thin films and the results are presented in detail.« less

Superhydrophobic Ag decorated ZnO nanostructured thin film as effective surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayram, Naidu Dhanpal; Sonia, S.; Poongodi, S.; Kumar, P. Suresh; Masuda, Yoshitake; Mangalaraj, D.; Ponpandian, N.; Viswanathan, C.

2015-11-01

The present work is an attempt to overcome the challenges in the fabrication of super hydrophobic silver decorated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure thin films via thermal evaporation process. The ZnO nanowire thin films are prepared without any surface modification and show super hydrophobic nature with a contact angle of 163°. Silver is further deposited onto the ZnO nanowire to obtain nanoworm morphology. Silver decorated ZnO (Ag@ZnO) thin films are used as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies. The formation of randomly arranged nanowire and silver decorated nanoworm structure is confirmed using FESEM, HR-TEM and AFM analysis. Crystallinity and existence of Ag on ZnO are confirmed using XRD and XPS studies. A detailed growth mechanism is discussed for the formation of the nanowires from nanobeads based on various deposition times. The prepared SERS substrate reveals a reproducible enhancement of 3.082 × 107 M for Rhodamine 6G dye (R6G) for 10-10 molar concentration per liter. A higher order of SERS spectra is obtained for a contact angle of 155°. Thus the obtained thin films show the superhydrophobic nature with a highly enhanced Raman spectrum and act as SERS substrates. The present nanoworm morphology shows a new pathway for the construction of semiconductor thin films for plasmonic studies and challenges the orderly arranged ZnO nanorods, wires and other nano structure substrates used in SERS studies.

Photo-Patternable ZnO Thin Films Based on Cross-Linked Zinc Acrylate for Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Complementary Inverters.

PubMed

Jeong, Yong Jin; An, Tae Kyu; Yun, Dong-Jin; Kim, Lae Ho; Park, Seonuk; Kim, Yebyeol; Nam, Sooji; Lee, Keun Hyung; Kim, Se Hyun; Jang, Jaeyoung; Park, Chan Eon

2016-03-02

Complementary inverters consisting of p-type organic and n-type metal oxide semiconductors have received considerable attention as key elements for realizing low-cost and large-area future electronics. Solution-processed ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) have great potential for use in hybrid complementary inverters as n-type load transistors because of the low cost of their fabrication process and natural abundance of active materials. The integration of a single ZnO TFT into an inverter requires the development of a simple patterning method as an alternative to conventional time-consuming and complicated photolithography techniques. In this study, we used a photocurable polymer precursor, zinc acrylate (or zinc diacrylate, ZDA), to conveniently fabricate photopatternable ZnO thin films for use as the active layers of n-type ZnO TFTs. UV-irradiated ZDA thin films became insoluble in developing solvent as the acrylate moiety photo-cross-linked; therefore, we were able to successfully photopattern solution-processed ZDA thin films using UV light. We studied the effects of addition of a tiny amount of indium dopant on the transistor characteristics of the photopatterned ZnO thin films and demonstrated low-voltage operation of the ZnO TFTs within ±3 V by utilizing Al2O3/TiO2 laminate thin films or ion-gels as gate dielectrics. By combining the ZnO TFTs with p-type pentacene TFTs, we successfully fabricated organic/inorganic hybrid complementary inverters using solution-processed and photopatterned ZnO TFTs.

Coexistence of colossal stress and texture gradients in sputter deposited nanocrystalline ultra-thin metal films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuru, Yener; Welzel, Udo; Mittemeijer, Eric J.

2014-12-01

This paper demonstrates experimentally that ultra-thin, nanocrystalline films can exhibit coexisting colossal stress and texture depth gradients. Their quantitative determination is possible by X-ray diffraction experiments. Whereas a uniform texture by itself is known to generally cause curvature in so-called sin{sup 2}ψ plots, it is shown that the combined action of texture and stress gradients provides a separate source of curvature in sin{sup 2}ψ plots (i.e., even in cases where a uniform texture does not induce such curvature). On this basis, the texture and stress depth profiles of a nanocrystalline, ultra-thin (50 nm) tungsten film could be determined.

Initial stage corrosion of nanocrystalline copper particles and thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Weimin

1997-12-01

Corrosion behavior is an important issue in nanocrystalline materials research and development. A very fine grain size is expected to have significant effects on the corrosion resistance of these novel materials. However, both the macroscopic corrosion properties and the corresponding structure evolution during corrosion have not been fully studied. Under such circumstances, conducting fundamental research in this area is important and necessary. In this study, high purity nanocrystalline and coarse-grained copper were selected as our sample material, sodium nitrite aqueous solution at room temperature and air at a high temperature were employed as corrosive environments. The weight loss testing and electrochemical methods were used to obtain the macroscopic corrosion properties, whereas the high resolution transmission electron microscope was employed for the structure analysis. The weight loss tests indicate that the corrosion rate of nanocrystalline copper is about 5 times higher than that of coarse-grained copper at the initial stage of corrosion. The electrochemical measurements show that the corrosion potential of the nanocrystalline copper has a 230 mV negative shift in comparison with that of the coarse-grained copper. The nanocrystalline copper also exhibits a significantly higher exchange current density than the coarse-grained copper. High resolution TEM revealed that the surface structure changes at the initial stage of corrosion. It was found that the first copper oxide layer formed on the surface of nanocrystalline copper thin film contains a large density of high angle grain boundaries, whereas that formed on the surface of coarse-grained copper shows highly oriented oxide nuclei and appears to show a strong tendency for forming low angle grain boundaries. A correlation between the macroscopic corrosion properties and the structure characteristics is proposed for the nanocrystalline copper based on the concept of the "apparent" exchange current

Anisotropic magnetism and spin-dependent transport in Co nanoparticle embedded ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D. Y.; Zeng, Y. J.; Pereira, L. M. C.; Batuk, D.; Hadermann, J.; Zhang, Y. Z.; Ye, Z. Z.; Temst, K.; Vantomme, A.; Van Bael, M. J.; Van Haesendonck, C.

2013-07-01

Oriented Co nanoparticles were obtained by Co ion implantation in crystalline ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of elliptically shaped Co precipitates with nanometer size, which are embedded in the ZnO thin films, resulting in anisotropic magnetic behavior. The low-temperature resistance of the Co-implanted ZnO thin films follows the Efros-Shklovskii type variable-range-hopping. Large negative magnetoresistance (MR) exceeding 10% is observed in a magnetic field of 1 T at 2.5 K and the negative MR survives up to 250 K (0.3%). The negative MR reveals hysteresis as well as anisotropy that correlate well with the magnetic properties, clearly demonstrating the presence of spin-dependent transport.

Efficient and Convenient Synthesis of 1,8-Dioxodecahydroacridine Derivatives Using Cu-Doped ZnO Nanocrystalline Powder as a Catalyst under Solvent-Free Conditions

PubMed Central

Alinezhad, Heshmatollah; Mohseni Tavakkoli, Sahar

2013-01-01

A simple and convenient one-step method for synthesis of acridines and their derivatives from condensation of aromatic aldehydes, cyclic diketones, and aryl amines using Cu-doped ZnO nanocrystalline powder as a catalyst is reported. The present protocol provides several advantages such as good yields, short reaction time, easy workup, and simplicity in operation. PMID:24294130

Electrical and optical properties of p-type codoped ZnO thin films prepared by spin coating technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Trilok Kumar; Kumar, Vinod; Swart, H. C.; Purohit, L. P.

2016-03-01

Undoped, doped and codoped ZnO thin films were synthesized on glass substrates using a spin coating technique. Zinc acetate dihydrate, ammonium acetate and aluminum nitrate were used as precursor for zinc, nitrogen and aluminum, respectively. X-ray diffraction shows that the thin films have a hexagonal wurtzite structure for the undoped, doped and co-doped ZnO. The transmittance of the films was above 80% and the band gap of the film varied from 3.20 eV to 3.24 eV for undoped and doped ZnO. An energy band diagram to describe the photoluminescence from the thin films was also constructed. This diagram includes the various defect levels and possible quasi-Fermi levels. A minimum resistivity of 0.0834 Ω-cm was obtained for the N and Al codoped ZnO thin films with p-type carrier conductivity. These ZnO films can be used as a window layer in solar cells and in UV lasers.

Electronic transport in mixed-phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wienkes, Lee Raymond

Interest in mixed-phase silicon thin film materials, composed of an amorphous semiconductor matrix in which nanocrystalline inclusions are embedded, stems in part from potential technological applications, including photovoltaic and thin film transistor technologies. Conventional mixed-phase silicon films are produced in a single plasma reactor, where the conditions of the plasma must be precisely tuned, limiting the ability to adjust the film and nanoparticle parameters independently. The films presented in this thesis are deposited using a novel dual-plasma co-deposition approach in which the nanoparticles are produced separately in an upstream reactor and then injected into a secondary reactor where an amorphous silicon film is being grown. The degree of crystallinity and grain sizes of the films are evaluated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. I describe detailed electronic measurements which reveal three distinct conduction mechanisms in n-type doped mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films over a range of nanocrystallite concentrations and temperatures, covering the transition from fully amorphous to ~30% nanocrystalline. As the temperature is varied from 470 to 10 K, we observe activated conduction, multiphonon hopping (MPH) and Mott variable range hopping (VRH) as the nanocrystal content is increased. The transition from MPH to Mott-VRH hopping around 100K is ascribed to the freeze out of the phonon modes. A conduction model involving the parallel contributions of these three distinct conduction mechanisms is shown to describe both the conductivity and the reduced activation energy data to a high accuracy. Additional support is provided by measurements of thermal equilibration effects and noise spectroscopy, both done above room temperature (>300 K). This thesis provides a clear link between measurement and theory in these complex materials.

Optimization of pulsed laser deposited ZnO thin-film growth parameters for thin-film transistors (TFT) application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Manisha; Chowdhury, Fatema Rezwana; Barlage, Douglas; Tsui, Ying Yin

2013-03-01

In this work we present the optimization of zinc oxide (ZnO) film properties for a thin-film transistor (TFT) application. Thin films, 50±10 nm, of ZnO were deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) under a variety of growth conditions. The oxygen pressure, laser fluence, substrate temperature and annealing conditions were varied as a part of this study. Mobility and carrier concentration were the focus of the optimization. While room-temperature ZnO growths followed by air and oxygen annealing showed improvement in the (002) phase formation with a carrier concentration in the order of 1017-1018/cm3 with low mobility in the range of 0.01-0.1 cm2/V s, a Hall mobility of 8 cm2/V s and a carrier concentration of 5×1014/cm3 have been achieved on a relatively low temperature growth (250 °C) of ZnO. The low carrier concentration indicates that the number of defects have been reduced by a magnitude of nearly a 1000 as compared to the room-temperature annealed growths. Also, it was very clearly seen that for the (002) oriented films of ZnO a high mobility film is achieved.

Physical Property Evaluation of ZnO Thin Film Fabricated by Low-Temperature Process for Flexible Transparent TFT.

PubMed

Khafe, Adie Bin Mohd; Watanabe, Hiraku; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Kuniyoshi, Shigekazu; Iizuka, Masaaki; Sakai, Masatoshi; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2016-04-01

The usual silicon-based display back planes require fairly high process temperature and thus the development of a low temperature process is needed on flexible plastic substrates. A new type of flexible organic light emitting transistor (OLET) had been proposed and investigated in the previous work. By using ultraviolet/ozone (UV/O3) assisted thermal treatments on wet processed zinc oxide field effect transistor (ZnO-FET), through low-process temperature, ZnO-FETs were fabricated which succeeded to achieve target drain current value and mobility. In this study, physical property evaluation of ZnO was conducted in term of their crystallinity, the increase composition of ZnO formed inside the thin film and the decrease of the carbon impurities originated from aqueous solution of the ZnO itself. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) evaluation showed UV/03 assisted thermal treatment has no obvious effect towards crystallinity of ZnO in the range of low process temperature. Moreover, through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) evaluation and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy evaluation, more carbon impurities disappeared from the ZnO thin film and the increase of composition amount of ZnO, when the thin film was subjected to UV/O3 assisted thermal treatment. Therefore, UV/O3 assisted thermal treatment contributed in carbon impurities elimination and accelerate ZnO formation in ZnO thin film, which led to the improvement in the electrical property of ZnO-FET in the low-process temperature.

Thickness dependence of crystal and optical characterization on ZnO thin film grown by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Seung-Hye; Lee, Hyun-Jin; Lee, Sung-Nam

2018-06-01

We studied the thickness dependence of the crystallographic and optical properties of ZnO thin films grown on c-plane sapphire substrate using atomic layer deposition. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) revealed two peaks at 34.5° and 36.2° in the initial growth stage of ZnO on the sapphire substrate, corresponding to the (002) and (101) ZnO planes, respectively. However, as the thickness of the ZnO film increased, the XRD intensity of the (002) ZnO peak increased drastically, compared with that of the (101) ZnO peak. This indicated that (002) and (101) ZnO were simultaneously grown on the c-plane sapphire substrate in the initial growth stage, and that (002) ZnO was predominantly grown with the increase in the thickness of ZnO film. The ZnO thin film presented an anisotropic surface structure at the initial stage, whereas the isotropic surface morphology was developed with an increase in the film thickness of ZnO. These observations were consistent with the HR-XRD results.

The properties of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) ZnO thin films and comparison with thermal ALD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Doyoung; Kang, Hyemin; Kim, Jae-Min; Kim, Hyungjun

2011-02-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) using oxygen plasma as a reactant and the properties were compared with those of thermal atomic layer deposition (TH-ALD) ZnO thin films. While hexagonal wurzite phase with preferential (0 0 2) orientation was obtained for both cases, significant differences were observed in various aspects of film properties including resistivity values between these two techniques. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements have shown that high resistivity of PE-ALD ZnO thin films is due to the oxygen interstitials at low growth temperature of 200 °C, whose amount decreases with increasing growth temperature. Thin film transistors (TFT) using TH- and PE-ALD ZnO as an active layer were also fabricated and the device properties were evaluated comparatively.

Thermal-induced structural and optical investigations of Agsbnd ZnO nanocomposite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. K.; Singhal, R.

2018-07-01

In the present paper, we have successfully synthesized Agsbnd ZnO nanocomposite thin films by RF-magnetron sputtering technique at room temperature. Systematic investigations of thermal-induced structural and optical modifications in Agsbnd ZnO thin films have been observed and described. The Agsbnd ZnO thin films were annealed at three different temperatures of 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C in vacuum to prevent the oxidation of Ag. The presence and formation of Ag nanoparticles were estimated by transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the structural information about the crystalline quality of ZnO. The crystallinity as well as the crystallite size of the films have been found to be improved with annealing temperatures. The estimated crystallite size was ∼15.8 nm for as-deposited film and 19.0 nm for the film at a higher temperature. The chemical composition and structural analysis of as-deposited film were carried out by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A very sharp absorption band appeared at ∼540 nm for Ag NPs that is associated with the surface plasmon resonance band of Ag. A noticeable red shift of about ∼12 nm has been recorded for films annealed at 500 °C. Atomic force microscopy has been utilized to examine the surface morphology of the as-deposited and annealed films. The grain size was found to be increase with increasing annealing temperature, while no significant changes were observed in the roughness of Agsbnd ZnO thin films. Raman spectroscopy revealed lattice defects and disordering in the films after the thermal annealing.

Stacking fault-mediated ultrastrong nanocrystalline Ti thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, K.; Zhang, J. Y.; Li, G.; Wang, Y. Q.; Cui, J. C.; Liu, G.; Sun, J.

2017-11-01

In this work, we prepared nanocrystalline (NC) Ti thin films with abundant stacking faults (SFs), which were created via partial dislocations emitted from grain boundaries and which were insensitive to grain sizes. By employing the nanoindentation test, we investigated the effects of SFs and grain sizes on the strength of NC Ti films at room temperature. The high density of SFs significantly strengthens NC Ti films, via dislocation-SF interactions associated with the reported highest Hall-Petch slope of ˜20 GPa nm1/2, to an ultrahigh strength of ˜4.4 GPa, approaching ˜50% of its ideal strength.

Fabrication and Characterization of Fully Transparent ZnO Thin-Film Transistors and Self-Switching Nano-Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Y.; Ashida, K.; Sasaki, S.; Koyama, M.; Maemoto, T.; Sasa, S.; Kasai, S.; Iñiguez-de-la-Torre, I.; González, T.

2015-10-01

Fully transparent zinc oxide (ZnO) based thin-film transistors (TFTs) and a new type of rectifiers calls self-switching nano-diodes (SSDs) were fabricated on glass substrates at room temperature by using low resistivity and transparent conducting Al- doped ZnO (AZO) thin-films. The deposition conditions of AZO thin-films were optimized with pulsed laser deposition (PLD). AZO thin-films on glass substrates were characterized and the transparency of 80% and resistivity with 1.6*10-3 Ωcm were obtained of 50 nm thickness. Transparent ZnO-TFTs were fabricated on glass substrates by using AZO thin-films as electrodes. A ZnO-TFT with 2 μm long gate device exhibits a transconductance of 400 μS/mm and an ON/OFF ratio of 2.8*107. Transparent ZnO-SSDs were also fabricated by using ZnO based materials and clear diode-like characteristics were observed.

Size effect on the deformation mechanisms of nanocrystalline platinum thin films.

PubMed

Shu, Xinyu; Kong, Deli; Lu, Yan; Long, Haibo; Sun, Shiduo; Sha, Xuechao; Zhou, Hao; Chen, Yanhui; Mao, Shengcheng; Liu, Yinong

2017-10-16

This paper reports a study of time-resolved deformation process at the atomic scale of a nanocrystalline Pt thin film captured in situ under a transmission electron microscope. The main mechanism of plastic deformation was found to evolve from full dislocation activity-enabled plasticity in large grains (with grain size d > 10 nm), to partial dislocation plasticity in smaller grains (with grain size 10 nm < d < 6 nm), and grain boundary-mediated plasticity in the matrix with grain sizes d < 6 nm. The critical grain size for the transition from full dislocation activity to partial dislocation activity was estimated based on consideration of stacking fault energy. For grain boundary-mediated plasticity, the possible contributions to strain rate of grain creep, grain sliding and grain rotation to plastic deformation were estimated using established models. The contribution of grain creep is found to be negligible, the contribution of grain rotation is effective but limited in magnitude, and grain sliding is suggested to be the dominant deformation mechanism in nanocrystalline Pt thin films. This study provided the direct evidence of these deformation processes at the atomic scale.

Physical Characterization of Orthorhombic AgInS2 Nanocrystalline Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Zawawi, I. K.; Mahdy, Manal A.

2017-11-01

Nanocrystalline thin films of AgInS2 were synthesized using an inert gas condensation technique. The grazing incident in-plane x-ray diffraction technique was used to detect the crystal structure of the deposited and annealed thin films. The results confirmed that the as-deposited film shows an amorphous behavior and that the annealed film has a single phase crystallized in an orthorhombic structure. The orthorhombic structure and particle size were detected using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The particle size ( P_{{s}}) estimated from micrograph images of the nanocrystalline films were increased from 6 nm to 12 nm as the film thickness increased from 11 nm to 110 nm. Accordingly, increasing the film thickness up to 110 nm reflects varying the optical band gap from 2.75 eV to 2.1 eV. The photocurrent measurements were studied where the fast rise and decay of the photocurrent are governed by the recombination mechanism. The electrical conductivity behavior was demonstrated by two transition mechanisms: extrinsic transition for a low-temperature range (300-400 K) and intrinsic transition for the high-temperature region above 400 K.

Franz-Keldysh effect in epitaxial ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridoux, G.; Villafuerte, M.; Ferreyra, J. M.; Guimpel, J.; Nieva, G.; Figueroa, C. A.; Straube, B.; Heluani, S. P.

2018-02-01

Photoconductance spectroscopy has been studied in epitaxial ZnO thin films with different thicknesses that range between 136 and 21 nm. We report a systematic decrease in photoconductivity and a red shift in band edge photoconductance spectra when the thickness is reduced. For thinner films, it is found that the effective energy gap value diminishes. By time dependent photoconductivity measurements, we found an enhanced contribution of the slow relaxation times for thicker films. These effects are interpreted in terms of a band-bending contribution where the Franz-Keldysh effect and the polarization of ZnO play a major role in thinner films.

Transparent nanocrystalline ZnO and ZnO:Al coatings obtained through ZnS sols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolobkova, E. V.; Evstropiev, S. K.; Nikonorov, N. V.; Vasilyev, V. N.; Evstropyev, K. S.

2017-11-01

Thin and uniform ZnO and ZnO:Al coatings were prepared on glass surfaces by using film-forming colloidal solutions containing small ZnS nanoparticles and polyvinylpyrrolidone as a polymer stabilizer. Film-forming ZnS sols were synthesized in the mixed water-propanol-2 solutions by chemical reaction between zinc nitrate and sodium sulfide. The addition of modifying component such as Al(NO3)3 into the film-forming solutions allows one to obtain thin and uniform ZnO:Al coatings. An increase in the sodium sulfide content in film-forming solutions leads to the growth of light absorption in the UV. The evolution of a coating material at all technological stages from the ZnS sols up to the transparent ZnO and ZnO:Al2O3 coatings (the latter kind being denoted further, in accord with a common practice, by ZnO:Al) was studied using the optical spectroscopy, XRD analysis, DSC-TGA, and SEM methods. The chemical processes of decomposing salts and the polymer occur by heating the intermediate composite ZnS/polyvinylpyrrolidone coatings in the 280-500 °C temperature range. Experimental data show that the ZnO and ZnO:Al coatings prepared consist of the slightly elongated oxide nanoparticles. These coatings fully cover the glass surface and demonstrate a high transparency in the UV and visible.

Temperature dependent optical properties of ZnO thin film using ellipsometry and photoluminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouzourâa, M.-B.; Battie, Y.; Dalmasso, S.; Zaïbi, M.-A.; Oueslati, M.; En Naciri, A.

2018-05-01

We report the temperature dependence of the dielectric function, the exciton binding energy and the electronic transitions of crystallized ZnO thin film using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and photoluminescence (PL). ZnO layers were prepared by sol-gel method and deposited on crystalline silicon (Si) by spin coating technique. The ZnO optical properties were determined between 300 K and 620 K. Rigorous study of optical responses was achieved in order to demonstrate the quenching exciton of ZnO as a function of temperature. Numerical technique named constrained cubic splines approximation (CCS), Tauc-Lorentz (TL) and Tanguy dispersion models were selected for the ellipsometry data modeling in order to obtain the dielectric function of ZnO. The results reveals that the exciton bound becomes widely flattening at 470 K on the one hand, and on the other that the Tanguy dispersion law is more appropriate for determining the optical responses of ZnO thin film in the temperature range of 300 K-420 K. The Tauc-Lorentz, for its part, reproduces correctly the ZnO dielectric function in 470 K-620 K temperature range. The temperature dependence of the electronic transition given by SE and PL shows that the exciton quenching was observed in 420 K-∼520 K temperature range. This quenching effect can be explained by the equilibrium between the Coulomb force of exciton and its kinetic energy in the film. The kinetic energy was found to induce three degrees of freedom of the exciton.

YBa2Cu3O7 thin films on nanocrystalline diamond films for HTSC bolometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cui, G.; Beetz, C. P., Jr.; Boerstler, R.; Steinbeck, J.

1993-01-01

Superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films on nanocrystalline diamond thin films have been fabricated. A composite buffer layer system consisting of diamond/Si3N4/YSZ/YBCO was explored for this purpose. The as-deposited YBCO films were superconducting with Tc of about 84 K and a relatively narrow transition width of about 8 K. SEM cross sections of the films showed very sharp interfaces between diamond/Si3N4 and between Si3N4/YSZ. The deposited YBCO film had a surface roughness of about 1000 A, which is suitable for high-temperature superconductive (HTSC) bolometer fabrication. It was also found that preannealing of the nanocrystalline diamond thin films at high temperature was very important for obtaining high-quality YBCO films.

Near band edge emission characteristics of sputtered nano-crystalline ZnO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunj, Saurabh; Sreenivas, K.

2016-05-01

Sputtered zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited on unheated glass substrate under different sputtering gas mixtures (Ar+O2) have been investigated using X-ray diffraction and photo luminescence spectroscopy. Earlier reported studies on ZnO films prepared by different techniques exhibit either a sharp/broad near band edge (NBE) emission peak depending on the crystalline quality of the film. In the present study zinc oxide films, grown on unheated substrates, are seen to possess a preferred (002) orientation with a microstructure consisting of clustered nano-sized crystallites. The splitting in the near band edge emission (NBE) into three characteristic peaks is attributed to quantum confinement effect, and is observed specifically under an excitation of 270 nm. Deep level emission (DLE) in the range 400 to 700 nm is not observed indicating absence of deep level radiative defects.

Photoelectrochemical properties of highly mobilized Li-doped ZnO thin films.

PubMed

Shinde, S S; Bhosale, C H; Rajpure, K Y

2013-03-05

Li-doped ZnO thin films with preferred (002) orientation have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique in aqueous medium on to the corning glass substrates. The effect of Li-doping on to the photoelectrochemical, structural, morphological, optical, luminescence, electrical and thermal properties has been investigated. XRD and Raman study indicates that the films have hexagonal crystal structure. The transmittance, reflectance, refractive index, extinction coefficient and bandgap have been analyzed by optical study. PL spectra consist of a near band edge and visible emission due to the electronic defects, which are related to deep level emissions, such as oxide antisite (OZn), interstitial zinc (Zni), interstitial oxygen (Oi) and zinc vacancy (VZn). The Li-doped ZnO films prepared for 1at% doping possesses the highest electron mobility of 102cm(2)/Vs and carrier concentration of 3.62×10(19)cm(-3). Finally, degradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene using Li-doped ZnO thin films has been reported. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annealing effect on the structural, morphological and electrical properties of TiO2/ZnO bilayer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, M. I.; Imran, S.; Shahnawaz; Saleem, Muhammad; Ur Rehman, Saif

2018-03-01

The effect of annealing temperature on the structural, morphological and electrical properties of TiO2/ZnO (TZ) thin films has been observed. Bilayer thin films of TiO2/ZnO are deposited on FTO glass substrate by spray pyrolysis method. After deposition, these films are annealed at 573 K, 723 K and 873 K. XRD shows that TiO2 is present in anatase phase only and ZnO is present in hexagonal phase. No other phases of TiO2 and ZnO are present. Also, there is no evidence of other compounds like Zn-Ti etc. It also shows that the average grain size of TiO2/ZnO films is increased by increasing annealing temperature. AFM (Atomic force microscope) showed that the average roughness of TiO2/ZnO films is decreased at temperature 573-723 K and then increased at 873 K. The calculated average sheet resistivity of thin films annealed at 573 K, 723 K and 873 K is 152.28 × 102, 75.29 × 102 and 63.34 × 102 ohm-m respectively. This decrease in sheet resistivity might be due to the increment of electron concentration with increasing thickness and the temperature of thin films.

Ultra-thin nanocrystalline diamond membranes as pressure sensors for harsh environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janssens, S. D., E-mail: stoffel.d.janssens@gmail.com; Haenen, K., E-mail: ken.haenen@uhasselt.be; IMOMEC, IMEC vzw, Wetenschapspark 1, B-3590 Diepenbeek

2014-02-17

Glass and diamond are suitable materials for harsh environments. Here, a procedure for fabricating ultra-thin nanocrystalline diamond membranes on glass, acting as an electrically insulating substrate, is presented. In order to investigate the pressure sensing properties of such membranes, a circular, highly conductive boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond membrane with a resistivity of 38 mΩ cm, a thickness of 150 nm, and a diameter of 555 μm is fabricated in the middle of a Hall bar structure. During the application of a positive differential pressure under the membrane (0–0.7 bar), four point piezoresistive effect measurements are performed. From these measurements, it can be concluded that the resistancemore » response of the membrane, as a function of differential pressure, is highly linear and sensitive.« less

Synergistic effect of indium and gallium co-doping on the properties of RF sputtered ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaheera, M.; Girija, K. G.; Kaur, Manmeet; Geetha, V.; Debnath, A. K.; Karri, Malvika; Thota, Manoj Kumar; Vatsa, R. K.; Muthe, K. P.; Gadkari, S. C.

2018-04-01

ZnO thin films were synthesized using RF magnetron sputtering, with simultaneous incorporation of Indium (In) and Gallium (Ga). The structural, optical, chemical composition and surface morphology of the pure and co-doped (IGZO) thin films were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Raman spectroscopy. XRD revealed that these films were oriented along c-axis with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The (002) diffraction peak in the co-doped sample was observed at 33.76° with a slight shift towards lower 2θ values as compared to pure ZnO. The surface morphology of the two thin films was observed to differ. For pure ZnO films, round grains were observed and for IGZO thin films round as well as rod type grains were observed. All thin films synthesized show excellent optical properties with more than 90% transmission in the visible region and band gap of the films is observed to decrease with co-doping. The co doping of In and Ga is therefore expected to provide a broad range optical and physical properties of ZnO thin films for a variety of optoelectronic applications.

Structural, optical and photo-catalytic activity of nanocrystalline NiO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh., E-mail: mshabaan90@yahoo.com; Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef

2016-03-15

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocrystalline NiO thin films with different thicknesses using DC magnetron sputtering technique. • Effect of film thickness and particle size on photo-catalytic degradation of methyl green dye under UV light was studied. • The deposited NiO thin films are efficient, stable and possess high photo-catalytic activity upon reuse. - Abstract: Physical deposition of nanocrystalline nickel oxide (NiO) thin films with different thickness 30, 50 and 80 nm have been done on glass substrate by DC magnetron sputtering technique and varying the deposition time from 600, 900 to 1200 s. The results of surface morphology and opticalmore » characterization of these films obtained using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–vis spectrophotometry provide important information like formation of distinct nanostructures in different films and its effect on their optical band gap which has decreased from 3.74 to 3.37 eV as the film thickness increases. Most importantly these films have shown very high stability and a specialty to be recycled without much loss of their photo-catalytic activity, when tested as photo-catalysts for the degradation of methyl green dye (MG) from the wastewater under the exposure of 18 W energy of UV lamp.« less

Slow positron beam study of hydrogen ion implanted ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yi; Xue, Xudong; Wu, Yichu

2014-08-01

The effects of hydrogen related defect on the microstructure and optical property of ZnO thin films were investigated by slow positron beam, in combination with x-ray diffraction, infrared and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The defects were introduced by 90 keV proton irradiation with doses of 1×1015 and 1×1016 ions cm-2. Zn vacancy and OH bonding (VZn+OH) defect complex were identified in hydrogen implanted ZnO film by positron annihilation and infrared spectroscopy. The formation of these complexes led to lattice disorder in hydrogen implanted ZnO film and suppressed the luminescence process.

Sol-gel derived Al-Ga co-doped transparent conducting oxide ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serrao, Felcy Jyothi, E-mail: jyothiserrao@gmail.com; Department of Physics, Karnataka Government Research centre SCEM, Mangalore, 575007; Sandeep, K. M.

2016-05-23

Transparent conducting ZnO doped with Al, Ga and co-doped Al and Ga (1:1) (AGZO) thin films were grown on glass substrates by cost effective sol-gel spin coating method. The XRD results showed that all the films are polycrystalline in nature and highly textured along the (002) plane. Enhanced grain size was observed in the case of AGZO thin films. The transmittance of all the films was more than 83% in the visible region of light. The electrical properties such as carrier concentration and mobility values are increased in case of AGZO compared to that of Al and Ga doped ZnOmore » thin films. The minimum resistivity of 2.54 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm was observed in AGZO thin film. The co-doped AGZO thin films exhibited minimum resistivity and high optical transmittance, indicate that co-doped ZnO thin films could be used in transparent electronics mainly in display applications.« less

ZnO thin film piezoelectric MEMS vibration energy harvesters with two piezoelectric elements for higher output performance.

PubMed

Wang, Peihong; Du, Hejun

2015-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based vibration energy harvesters with two different designs are presented. These harvesters consist of a silicon cantilever, a silicon proof mass, and a ZnO piezoelectric layer. Design I has a large ZnO piezoelectric element and Design II has two smaller and equally sized ZnO piezoelectric elements; however, the total area of ZnO thin film in two designs is equal. The ZnO thin film is deposited by means of radio-frequency magnetron sputtering method and is characterized by means of XRD and SEM techniques. These ZnO energy harvesters are fabricated by using MEMS micromachining. The natural frequencies of the fabricated ZnO energy harvesters are simulated and tested. The test results show that these two energy harvesters with different designs have almost the same natural frequency. Then, the output performance of different ZnO energy harvesters is tested in detail. The effects of series connection and parallel connection of two ZnO elements on the load voltage and power are also analyzed. The experimental results show that the energy harvester with two ZnO piezoelectric elements in parallel connection in Design II has higher load voltage and higher load power than the fabricated energy harvesters with other designs. Its load voltage is 2.06 V under load resistance of 1 MΩ and its maximal load power is 1.25 μW under load resistance of 0.6 MΩ, when it is excited by an external vibration with frequency of 1300.1 Hz and acceleration of 10 m/s(2). By contrast, the load voltage of the energy harvester of Design I is 1.77 V under 1 MΩ resistance and its maximal load power is 0.98 μW under 0.38 MΩ load resistance when it is excited by the same vibration.

Temperature dependent optical properties of (002) oriented ZnO thin film using surface plasmon resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Shibu; Mehan, Navina; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay

2009-08-01

Temperature dependent optical properties of c-axis oriented ZnO thin film were investigated using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. SPR data for double layer (prism-Au-ZnO-air) and single layer (prism-Au-air) systems were taken over a temperature range (300-525 K). Dielectric constant at optical frequency and real part of refractive index of the ZnO film shows an increase with temperature. The bandgap of the oriented ZnO film was found to decrease with rise in temperature. The work indicates a promising application of the system as a temperature sensor and highlights an efficient scientific tool to study optical properties of thin film under varying ambient conditions.

Influence of hydrogen on the structure and stability of ultra-thin ZnO on metal substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bieniek, Bjoern; Hofmann, Oliver T.; Institut für Festkörperphysik, TU Graz, 8010 Graz

2015-03-30

We investigate the atomic and electronic structure of ultra-thin ZnO films (1 to 4 layers) on the (111) surfaces of Ag, Cu, Pd, Pt, Ni, and Rh by means of density-functional theory. The ZnO monolayer is found to adopt an α-BN structure on the metal substrates with coincidence structures in good agreement with experiment. Thicker ZnO layers change into a wurtzite structure. The films exhibit a strong corrugation, which can be smoothed by hydrogen (H) adsorption. An H over-layer with 50% coverage is formed at chemical potentials that range from low to ultra-high vacuum H{sub 2} pressures. For the Agmore » substrate, both α-BN and wurtzite ZnO films are accessible in this pressure range, while for Cu, Pd, Pt, Rh, and Ni wurtzite films are favored. The surface structure and the density of states of these H passivated ZnO thin films agree well with those of the bulk ZnO(0001{sup ¯})-2×1-H surface.« less

Effect of Er3+ doping on structural, morphological and photocatalytical properties of ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouhouche, S.; Bensouici, F.; Toubane, M.; Azizi, A.; Otmani, A.; Chebout, K.; Kezzoula, F.; Tala-Ighil, R.; Bououdina, M.

2018-05-01

In this research work, structure, microstructure, optical and photocatalytic properties of undoped and Erbium doped nanostructured ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel dip-coating are investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the deposited films crystallize within the hexagonal wurtzite-type structure with a preferential growth orientation along (002) plane. Morphological observations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal important influence of Er concentration; displaying homogeneous and dense aspect for undoped to 0.3% then grid-like morphology for 0.4 and 0.5%. UV/vis/NIR transmittance spectroscopy spectra display a transmittance over 70%, and small variation in the energy gap energy 3.263–3.278 eV. Wettability test of ZnO thin films surface ranges from hydrophilic aspect for pure ZnO to hydrophobic one for Er doped ZnO, and the contact angle is found to increase from 58.7° for pure ZnO up to 98.4° for 0.4% Er doped ZnO. The photocatalytic activity measurements evaluated using the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation demonstrate that undoped ZnO film shows higher photocatalytic activity compared to Er doped ZnO films, which may be attributed to the deterioration of films’crystallinity resulting in lower transmittance.

Synthesis and Characterization of Molybdenum Doped ZnO Thin Films by SILAR Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radha, R.; Sakthivelu, A.; Pradhabhan, D.

2016-08-01

Molybdenum (Mo) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on the glass substrate by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) deposition method. The effect of Mo dopant concentration of 5, 6.6 and 10 mol% on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of n-type Mo doped ZnO films was studied. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed that the Mo doped ZnO thin films were polycrystalline with wurtzite structure. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) studies shows that the surface morphology of the films changes with Mo doping. A blue shift of the optical band gap was observed in the optical studies. Effect of Mo dopant concentration on electrical conductivity was studied and it shows comparatively high electrical conductivity at 10 mol% of Mo doping concentration.

Al decorated ZnO thin-film photoanode for SPR-enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongxia; Li, Xin; Dong, Wei; Xi, Junhua; Wu, Xin

2018-06-01

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been considered to be a promising approach to ease the energy and environmental crisis. Herein, Al decorated ZnO thin films are successfully achieved through a facile dc magnetron-sputtering method followed with Al evaporation for further enhanced PEC performance. The Al/ZnO thin film with 60 s Al evaporating time exhibits the highest photocurrent density under AM1.5G and visible light irradiation, which are more than 5 and 3 times as the pure ZnO film, respectively. Such surface modification by Al not only enlarges the visible light absorption based on surface plasmonic resonance effect, but facilitates the charge separation and transportation at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Finally, a possible mechanism is proposed for the photocatalytic activity enhancement of Al/ZnO thin film photoanode.

EXAFS and XANES investigation of (Li, Ni) codoped ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition.

PubMed

Mino, Lorenzo; Gianolio, Diego; Bardelli, Fabrizio; Prestipino, Carmelo; Senthil Kumar, E; Bellarmine, F; Ramanjaneyulu, M; Lamberti, Carlo; Ramachandra Rao, M S

2013-09-25

Ni doped, Li doped and (Li, Ni) codoped ZnO thin films were successfully grown using a pulsed laser deposition technique. Undoped and doped ZnO thin films were investigated using extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Preliminary investigations on the Zn K-edge of the undoped and doped ZnO thin films revealed that doping has not influenced the average Zn-Zn bond length and Debye-Waller factor. This shows that both Ni and Li doping do not appreciably affect the average local environment of Zn. All the doped ZnO thin films exhibited more than 50% of substitutional Ni, with a maximum of 77% for 2% Ni and 2% Li doped ZnO thin film. The contribution of Ni metal to the EXAFS signal clearly reveals the presence of Ni clusters. The Ni-Ni distance in the Ni(0) nanoclusters, which are formed in the film, is shorter with respect to the reference Ni metal foil and the Debye-Waller factor is higher. Both facts perfectly reflect what is expected for metal nanoparticles. At the highest doping concentration (5%), the presence of Li favors the growth of a secondary NiO phase. Indeed, 2% Ni and 5% Li doped ZnO thin film shows %Nisub = 75 ± 11, %Nimet = 10 ± 8, %NiO = 15 ± 8. XANES studies further confirm that the substitutional Ni is more than 50% in all the samples. These results explain the observed magnetic properties.

Microwave Characterization of Ba-Substituted PZT and ZnO Thin Films.

PubMed

Tierno, Davide; Dekkers, Matthijn; Wittendorp, Paul; Sun, Xiao; Bayer, Samuel C; King, Seth T; Van Elshocht, Sven; Heyns, Marc; Radu, Iuliana P; Adelmann, Christoph

2018-05-01

The microwave dielectric properties of (Ba 0.1 Pb 0.9 )(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 (BPZT) and ZnO thin films with thicknesses below were investigated. No significant dielectric relaxation was observed for both BPZT and ZnO up to 30 GHz. The intrinsic dielectric constant of BPZT was as high as 980 at 30 GHz. The absence of strong dielectric dispersion and loss peaks in the studied frequency range can be linked to the small grain diameters in these ultrathin films.

Thermoelectric Properties of Al-Doped ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saini, S.; Mele, P.; Honda, H.; Matsumoto, K.; Miyazaki, K.; Ichinose, A.

2014-06-01

We have prepared 2 % Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films on SrTiO3 substrates by a pulsed laser deposition technique at various deposition temperatures ( T dep = 300-600 °C). The thermoelectric properties of AZO thin films were studied in a low temperature range (300-600 K). Thin film deposited at 300 °C is fully c-axis-oriented and presents electrical conductivity 310 S/cm with Seebeck coefficient -65 μV/K and power factor 0.13 × 10-3 Wm-1 K-2 at 300 K. The performance of thin films increases with temperature. For instance, the power factor is enhanced up to 0.55 × 10-3 Wm-1 K-2 at 600 K, surpassing the best AZO film previously reported in the literature.

Preparation and characterization of ALD deposited ZnO thin films studied for gas sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyadjiev, S. I.; Georgieva, V.; Yordanov, R.; Raicheva, Z.; Szilágyi, I. M.

2016-11-01

Applying atomic layer deposition (ALD), very thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films were deposited on quartz resonators, and their gas sensing properties were studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The gas sensing of the ZnO films to NO2 was tested in the concentration interval between 10 and 5000 ppm. On the basis of registered frequency change of the QCM, for each concentration the sorbed mass was calculated. Further characterization of the films was carried out by various techniques, i.e. by SEM-EDS, XRD, ellipsometry, and FTIR spectroscopy. Although being very thin, the films were gas sensitive to NO2 already at room temperature and could register very well as low concentrations as 100 ppm, while the sorption was fully reversible. Our results for very thin ALD ZnO films show that the described fast, simple and cost-effective technology could be implemented for producing gas sensors working at room temperature and being capable to detect in real time low concentrations of NO2.

Remarkably High Mobility Thin-Film Transistor on Flexible Substrate by Novel Passivation Material.

PubMed

Shih, Cheng Wei; Chin, Albert

2017-04-25

High mobility thin-film transistor (TFT) is crucial for future high resolution and fast response flexible display. Remarkably high performance TFT, made at room temperature on flexible substrate, is achieved with record high field-effect mobility (μ FE ) of 345 cm 2 /Vs, small sub-threshold slope (SS) of 103 mV/dec, high on-current/off-current (I ON /I OFF ) of 7 × 10 6 , and a low drain-voltage (V D ) of 2 V for low power operation. The achieved mobility is the best reported data among flexible electronic devices, which is reached by novel HfLaO passivation material on nano-crystalline zinc-oxide (ZnO) TFT to improve both I ON and I OFF . From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, the non-passivated device has high OH-bonding intensity in nano-crystalline ZnO, which damage the crystallinity, create charged scattering centers, and form potential barriers to degrade mobility.

Ultraviolet electroluminescence from hetero p-n junction between a single ZnO microsphere and p-GaN thin film.

PubMed

Tetsuyama, Norihiro; Fusazaki, Koshi; Mizokami, Yasuaki; Shimogaki, Tetsuya; Higashihata, Mitsuhiro; Nakamura, Daisuke; Okada, Tatsuo

2014-04-21

We report ultraviolet electroluminescence from a hetero p-n junction between a single ZnO microsphere and p-GaN thin film. ZnO microspheres, which have high crystalline quality, have been synthesized by ablating a ZnO sintered target. It was found that synthesized ZnO microspheres had a high-optical property and exhibit the laser action in the whispering gallery mode under pulsed optical pumping. A hetero p-n junction was formed between the single ZnO microsphere/ p-GaN thin film, and a good rectifying property with a turn-on voltage of approximately 6 V was observed in I-V characteristic across the junction. Ultraviolet and visible electroluminescence were observed under forward bias.

Role of vacancy defects in Al doped ZnO thin films for optoelectronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotella, H.; Mazel, Y.; Brochen, S.; Valla, A.; Pautrat, A.; Licitra, C.; Rochat, N.; Sabbione, C.; Rodriguez, G.; Nolot, E.

2017-12-01

We report on the electrical, optical and photoluminescence properties of industry-ready Al doped ZnO thin films grown by physical vapor deposition, and their evolution after annealing under vacuum. Doping ZnO with Al atoms increases the carrier density but also favors the formation of Zn vacancies, thereby inducing a saturation of the conductivity mechanism at high aluminum content. The electrical and optical properties of these thin layered materials are both improved by annealing process which creates oxygen vacancies that releases charge carriers thus improving the conductivity. This study underlines the effect of the formation of extrinsic and intrinsic defects in Al doped ZnO compound during the fabrication process. The quality and the optoelectronic response of the produced films are increased (up to 1.52 mΩ \\cdotcm and 3.73 eV) and consistent with the industrial device requirements.

Enhanced optical band-gap of ZnO thin films by sol-gel technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raghu, P., E-mail: dpr3270@gmail.com; Naveen, C. S.; Shailaja, J.

2016-05-06

Transparent ZnO thin films were prepared using different molar concentration (0.1 M, 0.2 M & 0.8 M) of zinc acetate on soda lime glass substrates by the sol-gel spin coating technique. The optical properties revealed that the transmittance found to decrease with increase in molar concentration. Absorption edge showed that the higher concentration film has increasingly red shifted. An increased band gap energy of the thin films was found to be direct allowed transition of ∼3.9 eV exhibiting their relevance for photovoltaic applications. The extinction coefficient analysis revealed maximum transmittance with negligible absorption coefficient in the respective wavelengths. The resultsmore » of ZnO thin film prepared by sol-gel technique reveal its suitability for optoelectronics and as a window layer in solar cell applications.« less

Effect of copper doping on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saidani, T.; Zaabat, M.; Aida, M. S.; Boudine, B.

2015-12-01

In the present work, we prepared undoped and copper doped ZnO thin films by the sol-gel dip coating method on glass substrates from zinc acetate dissolved in a solution of ethanol. The objective of our work is to study the effect of Cu doping with different concentrations on structural, morphological, optical properties and photocatalytic activity of ZnO thin films. For this purpose, we have used XRD to study the structural properties, and AFM to determine the morphology of the surface of the ZnO thin films. The optical properties and the photocatalytic degradation of the films were examined by UV-visibles spectrophotometer. The Tauc method was used to estimate the optical band gap. The XRD spectra indicated that the films have an hexagonal wurtzite structure, which gradually deteriorated with increasing Cu concentration. The results showed that the incorporation of Cu decreases the crystallite size. The AFM study showed that an increase of the concentration of Cu causes the decrease of the surface roughness, which passes from 20.2 for Un-doped ZnO to 12.16 nm for doped ZnO 5 wt% Cu. Optical measurements have shown that all the deposited films show good optical transmittance (77%-92%) in the visible region and increases the optical gap with increasing Cu concentration. The presence of copper from 1% to 5 wt% in the ZnO thin films is found to decelerate the photocatalytic process.

Bi-layer channel structure-based oxide thin-film transistors consisting of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO with different Al compositions and stacking sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Sung Woon; Yun, Myeong Gu; Ahn, Cheol Hyoun; Kim, So Hee; Cho, Hyung Koun

2015-03-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO)-based bi-layers, consisting of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) layers grown by atomic layer deposition, were utilized as the channels of oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs). Thin AZO layers (5 nm) with different Al compositions (5 and 14 at. %) were deposited on top of and beneath the ZnO layers in a bi-layer channel structure. All of the bi-layer channel TFTs that included the AZO layers showed enhanced stability (Δ V Th ≤ 3.2 V) under a positive bias stress compared to the ZnO single-layer channel TFT (Δ V Th = 4.0 V). However, the AZO/ZnO bi-layer channel TFTs with an AZO interlayer between the gate dielectric and the ZnO showed a degraded field effect mobility (0.3 cm2/V·s for 5 at. % and 1.8 cm2/V·s for 14 at. %) compared to the ZnO single-layer channel TFT (5.5 cm2/V·s) due to increased scattering caused by Al-related impurities near the gate dielectric/channel interface. In contrast, the ZnO/AZO bi-layer channel TFTs with an AZO layer on top of the ZnO layer exhibited an improved field effect mobility (7.8 cm2/V·s for 14 at. %) and better stability. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Effect of Ag doping on the properties of ZnO thin films for UV stimulated emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razeen, Ahmed S.; Gadallah, A.-S.; El-Nahass, M. M.

2018-06-01

Ag doped ZnO thin films have been prepared using sol-gel spin coating method, with different doping concentrations. Structural and morphological properties of the films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Thin films have been optically pumped and stimulated emission has been observed with strong peaks in the UV region. The UV stimulated emission is found to be due to exciton-exciton scattering, and Ag doping promoted this process by increasing the excitons concentrations in the ZnO lattice. Output-input intensity relation and peak emission, FWHM, and quantum efficiency relations with pump intensity have been reported. The threshold for which stimulated emission started has been evaluated to be about 18 MW/cm2 with quantum efficiency of about 58.7%. Mechanisms explaining the role of Ag in enhancement of stimulated emission from ZnO thin films have been proposed.

High Performance and Highly Reliable ZnO Thin Film Transistor Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition for Next Generation Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-19

zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film as an active channel layer in TFT has become of great interest owing to their specific...630-0192 Japan Phone: +81-743-72-6060 Fax: +81-743-72-6069 E-mail: uraoka@ms.naist.jp Keywords: zinc oxide , thin film transistors , atomic layer...deposition Symposium topic: Transparent Semiconductors Oxides [Abstract] In this study, we fabricated TFTs using ZnO thin film as the

Modification of opto-electronic properties of ZnO by incorporating metallic tin for buffer layer in thin film solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deepu, D. R.; Jubimol, J.; Kartha, C. Sudha

2015-06-24

In this report, the effect of incorporation of metallic tin (Sn) on opto-electronic properties of ZnO thin films is presented. ZnO thin films were deposited through ‘automated chemical spray pyrolysis’ (CSP) technique; later different quantities of ‘Sn’ were evaporated on it and subsequently annealed. Vacuum annealing showed a positive effect on crystallinity of films. Creation of sub band gap levels due to ‘Sn’ diffusion was evident from the absorption and PL spectra. The tin incorporated films showed good photo response in visible region. Tin incorporated ZnO thin films seem to satisfy the desirable criteria for buffer layer in thin filmmore » solar cells.« less

Deposition of undoped and Al doped ZnO thin films using RF magnetron sputtering and study of their structural, optical and electrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parvathy Venu, M.; Shrisha B., V.; Balakrishna, K. M.; Naik, K. Gopalakrishna

2017-05-01

Undoped ZnO and Al doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass and p-Si(100) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technique at room temperature using homemade targets. ZnO target containing 5 at% of Al2O3 as doping source was used for the growth of Al doped ZnO thin films. XRD revealed that the films have hexagonal wurtzite structure with high crystallinity. Morphology and chemical composition of the films have been indicated by FESEM and EDAX studies. A blue shift of the band gap energy and higher optical transmittance has been observed in the case of Al doped ZnO (ZnO:Al) thin films with respect to the ZnO thin films. The as deposited films on p-Si were used to fabricate n-ZnO/p-Si(100) and n-ZnO:Al/p-Si(100) heterojunction diodes and their room temperature current-voltage characteristics were studied.

Fabrication of nanostructured Al-doped ZnO thin film for methane sensing applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shafura, A. K., E-mail: shafura@ymail.com; Azhar, N. E. I.; Uzer, M.

2016-07-06

CH{sub 4} gas sensor was fabricated using spin-coating method of the nanostructured ZnO thin film. Effect of annealing temperature on the electrical and structural properties of the film was investigated. Dense nanostructured ZnO film are obtained at higher annealing temperature. The optimal condition of annealing temperature is 500°C which has conductivity and sensitivity value of 3.3 × 10{sup −3} S/cm and 11.5%, respectively.

ZnO thin films and nanostructures for emerging optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, D. J.; Teherani, F. H.; Sandana, V. E.; Razeghi, M.

2010-02-01

ZnO-based thin films and nanostructures grown by PLD for various emerging optoelectronic applications. AZO thin films are currently displacing ITO for many TCO applications due to recent improvements in attainable AZO conductivity combined with processing, cost and toxicity advantages. Advances in the channel mobilities and Id on/off ratios in ZnO-based TTFTs have opened up the potential for use as a replacement for a-Si in AM-OLED and AM-LCD screens. Angular-dependent specular reflection measurements of self-forming, moth-eye-like, nanostructure arrays grown by PLD were seen to have <0.5% reflectivity over the whole visible spectrum for angles of incidence between 10 and 60 degrees. Such nanostructures may be useful for applications such as AR coatings on solar cells. Compliant ZnO layers on mismatched/amorphous substrates were shown to have potential for MOVPE regrowth of GaN. This approach could be used as a means to facilitate lift-off of GaN-based LEDs from insulating sapphire substrates and could allow the growth of InGaN-based solar cells on cheap substrates. The green gap in InGaN-based LEDs was combated by substituting low Ts PLD n-ZnO for MOCVD n-GaN in inverted hybrid heterojunctions. This approach maintained the integrity of the InGaN MQWs and gave LEDs with green emission at just over 510 nm. Hybrid n-ZnO/p-GaN heterojunctions were also seen to have the potential for UV (375 nm) EL, characteristic of ZnO NBE emission. This suggests that there was significant hole injection into the ZnO and that such LEDs could profit from the relatively high exciton binding energy of ZnO.

Phase Competition Induced Bio-Electrochemical Resistance and Bio-Compatibility Effect in Nanocrystalline Zr x -Cu100-x Thin Films.

PubMed

Badhirappan, Geetha Priyadarshini; Nallasivam, Vignesh; Varadarajan, Madhuri; Leobeemrao, Vasantha Priya; Bose, Sivakumar; Venugopal, Elakkiya; Rajendran, Selvakumar; Angleo, Peter Chrysologue

2018-07-01

Nano-crystalline Zrx-Cu100-x (x = 20-100 at.%) thin films with thickness ranging from 50 to 185 nm were deposited by magnetron co-sputtering with individual Zr and Cu targets. The as-sputtered thin films were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Glancing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD) for structural and morphological properties. The crystallite size was found to decrease from 57 nm to 37 nm upon increasing the Zr content from 20 to 30 at.% with slight increase in the lattice strain from 0.17 to 0.33%. Further, increase in Zr content to 40 at.% leads to increase in the crystallite size to 57 nm due to stabilization of C10Zr7 phase along with the presence of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr phase. A bimodal distribution of grain size was observed from FE-SEM micrograph was attributed to the highest surface roughness in Zr30Cu70 thin films comprised of Cu10Zr7, Cu9Zr2, Cu-Zr intermetallic phases. In-vitro electrochemical behaviors of nano-crystalline Zrx-Cu100-x thin films in simulated body fluid (SBF) were investigated using potentiodynamic polarization studies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data fitting by equivalent electrical circuit fit model suggests that inner bulk layer contributes to high bio-corrosion resistance in Zrx-Cu100-x thin films with increase in Zr content. The results of cyto-compatibility assay suggested that Zr-Cu thin film did not introduce cytotoxicity to osteoblast cells, indicating its suitability as a bio-coating for minimally invasive medical devices.

Synthesis, Optical and Photoluminescence Properties of Cu-Doped Zno Nano-Fibers Thin Films: Nonlinear Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesh, V.; Salem, G. F.; Yahia, I. S.; Yakuphanoglu, F.

2018-03-01

Different concentrations of copper-doped zinc oxide thin films were coated on a glass substrate by sol-gel/spin-coating technique. The structural properties of pure and Cu-doped ZnO films were characterized by different techniques, i.e., atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. The AFM study revealed that pure and doped ZnO films are formed as nano-fibers with a granular structure. The photoluminescence spectra of these films showed a strong ultraviolet emission peak centered at 392 nm and a strong blue emission peak cantered at 450 nm. The optical band gap of the pure and copper-doped ZnO thin films calculated from optical transmission spectra (3.29-3.23 eV) were found to be increasing with increasing copper doping concentration. The refractive index dispersion curve of pure and Cu-doped ZnO film obeyed the single-oscillator model. The optical dispersion parameters such as E o , E d , and n_{∞}2 were calculated. Further, the nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear optical susceptibility were also calculated and interpreted.

Acoustoelectric Effect on the Responses of SAW Sensors Coated with Electrospun ZnO Nanostructured Thin Film

PubMed Central

Tasaltin, Cihat; Ebeoglu, Mehmet Ali; Ozturk, Zafer Ziya

2012-01-01

In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) was a very good candidate for improving the sensitivity of gas sensor technology. The preparation of an electrospun ZnO nanostructured thin film on a 433 MHz Rayleigh wave based Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensor and the investigation of the acoustoelectric effect on the responses of the SAW sensor are reported. We prepared an electrospun ZnO nanostructured thin film on the SAW devices by using an electrospray technique. To investigate the dependency of the sensor response on the structure and the number of the ZnO nanoparticles, SAW sensors were prepared with different coating loads. The coating frequency shifts were adjusted to fall between 100 kHz and 2.4 MHz. The sensor measurements were performed against VOCs such as acetone, trichloroethylene, chloroform, ethanol, n-propanol and methanol vapor. The sensor responses of n-propanol have opposite characteristics to the other VOCs, and we attributed these characteristics to the elastic effect/acoustoelectric effect.

Role of Ni doping on transport properties of ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dar, Tanveer Ahmad, E-mail: tanveerphysics@gmail.com; Agrawal, Arpana; Sen, Pratima

2015-06-24

Nickel doped (Ni=0.05) and undoped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films have been prepared by Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The structural analysis of the films was done by X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies which reveal absence of any secondary phase in the prepared samples. UV transmission spectra show that Ni doping reduces the transparency of the films. X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) also shows the presence of metallic Ni along with +2 oxidation state in the sample. Low temperature magneto transport properties of the ZnO and NiZnO films are also discussed in view of Khosla fisher model. Ni doping in ZnO resultsmore » in decrease in magnitude of negative MR.« less

Synthesis of ZnO nanowires for thin film network transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalal, S. H.; Unalan, H. E.; Zhang, Y.; Hiralal, Pritesh; Gangloff, L.; Flewitt, Andrew J.; Amaratunga, Gehan A. J.; Milne, William I.

2008-08-01

Zinc oxide nanowire networks are attractive as alternatives to organic and amorphous semiconductors due to their wide bandgap, flexibility and transparency. We demonstrate the fabrication of thin film transistors (TFT)s which utilize ZnO nanowires as the semiconducting channel. These thin film transistors can be transparent and flexible and processed at low temperatures on to a variety of substrates. The nanowire networks are created using a simple contact transfer method that is easily scalable. Apparent nanowire network mobility values can be as high as 3.8 cm2/Vs (effective thin film mobility: 0.03 cm2/Vs) in devices with 20μm channel lengths and ON/OFF ratios of up to 104.

Structure and optical properties of ZnO with silver nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyadov, N. M., E-mail: nik061287@mail.ru; Gumarov, A. I.; Kashapov, R. N.

Textured nanocrystalline ZnO thin films are synthesized by ion beam assisted deposition. According to X-ray diffraction data, the crystallite size is ∼25 nm. Thin (∼15 nm) ZnO layers containing Ag nanoparticles are formed in a thin surface region of the films by the implantation of Ag ions with an energy of 30 keV and a dose in the range (0.25–1) × 10{sup 17} ion/cm{sup 2}. The structure and optical properties of the layers are studied. Histograms of the size distribution of Ag nanoparticles are obtained. The average size of the Ag nanoparticles varies from 0.5 to 1.5–2 nm depending onmore » the Ag-ion implantation dose. The optical transmittance of the samples in the visible and ultraviolet regions increases, as the implantation dose is increased. The spectra of the absorption coefficient of the implanted films are calculated in the context of the (absorbing film)/(transparent substrate) model. It is found that the main changes in the optical-density spectra occur in the region of ∼380 nm, in which the major contribution to absorption is made by Ag nanoparticles smaller than 0.75 nm in diameter. In this spectral region, absorption gradually decreases, as the Ag-ion irradiation dose is increased. This is attributed to an increase in the average size of the Ag nanoparticles. It is established that the broad surface-plasmon-resonance absorption bands typical of nanocomposite ZnO films with Ag nanoparticles synthesized by ion implantation are defined by the fact that the size of the nanoparticles formed does not exceed 1.5–2 nm.« less

Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Mg-Al Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Kruska, Karen; Rohatgi, Aashish; Vemuri, Rama S.; ...

2017-10-05

We report that an improved understanding of grain growth kinetics in nanocrystalline materials, and in metals and alloys in general, is of continuing interest to the scientific community. In this study, Mg-Al thin films containing ~10 wt pct Al and with 14.5 nm average grain size were produced by magnetron sputtering and subjected to heat treatments. The grain growth evolution in the early stages of heat treatment at 423 K, 473 K, and 573 K (150 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C) was observed with transmission electron microscopy and analyzed based upon the classical equation developed by Burke and Turnbull.more » The grain growth exponent was found to be 7 ± 2 and the activation energy for grain growth was 31.1 ± 13.4 kJ/mol, the latter being significantly lower than in bulk Mg-Al alloys. The observed grain growth kinetics are explained by the Al supersaturation in the matrix and the pinning effects of the rapidly forming beta precipitates and possibly shallow grain boundary grooves. In conclusion, the low activation energy is attributed to the rapid surface diffusion which is dominant in thin film systems.« less

Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Mg-Al Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruska, Karen; Rohatgi, Aashish; Vemuri, Rama S.; Kovarik, Libor; Moser, Trevor H.; Evans, James E.; Browning, Nigel D.

2017-12-01

An improved understanding of grain growth kinetics in nanocrystalline materials, and in metals and alloys in general, is of continuing interest to the scientific community. In this study, Mg-Al thin films containing 10 wt pct Al and with 14.5 nm average grain size were produced by magnetron sputtering and subjected to heat treatments. The grain growth evolution in the early stages of heat treatment at 423 K, 473 K, and 573 K (150 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C) was observed with transmission electron microscopy and analyzed based upon the classical equation developed by Burke and Turnbull. The grain growth exponent was found to be 7 ± 2 and the activation energy for grain growth was 31.1 ± 13.4 kJ/mol, the latter being significantly lower than in bulk Mg-Al alloys. The observed grain growth kinetics are explained by the Al supersaturation in the matrix and the pinning effects of the rapidly forming beta precipitates and possibly shallow grain boundary grooves. The low activation energy is attributed to the rapid surface diffusion which is dominant in thin film systems.

Investigations of rapid thermal annealing induced structural evolution of ZnO: Ge nanocomposite thin films via GISAXS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ceylan, Abdullah, E-mail: aceylanabd@yahoo.com; Ozcan, Yusuf; Orujalipoor, Ilghar

2016-06-07

In this work, we present in depth structural investigations of nanocomposite ZnO: Ge thin films by utilizing a state of the art grazing incidence small angle x-ray spectroscopy (GISAXS) technique. The samples have been deposited by sequential r.f. and d.c. sputtering of ZnO and Ge thin film layers, respectively, on single crystal Si(100) substrates. Transformation of Ge layers into Ge nanoparticles (Ge-np) has been initiated by ex-situ rapid thermal annealing of asprepared thin film samples at 600 °C for 30, 60, and 90 s under forming gas atmosphere. A special attention has been paid on the effects of reactive and nonreactivemore » growth of ZnO layers on the structural evolution of Ge-np. GISAXS analyses have been performed via cylindrical and spherical form factor calculations for different nanostructure types. Variations of the size, shape, and distributions of both ZnO and Ge nanostructures have been determined. It has been realized that GISAXS results are not only remarkably consistent with the electron microscopy observations but also provide additional information on the large scale size and shape distribution of the nanostructured components.« less

Micro-patterned ZnO semiconductors for high performance thin film transistors via chemical imprinting with a PDMS stamp.

PubMed

Seong, Kieun; Kim, Kyongjun; Park, Si Yun; Kim, Youn Sang

2013-04-07

Chemical imprinting was conducted on ZnO semiconductor films via a chemical reaction at the contact regions between a micro-patterned PDMS stamp and ZnO films. In addition, we applied the chemical imprinting on Li doped ZnO thin films for high performance TFTs fabrication. The representative micro-patterned Li doped ZnO TFTs showed a field effect mobility of 4.2 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) after sintering at 300 °C.

Nanocrystalline SnO2 formation by oxygen ion implantation in tin thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondkar, Vidya; Rukade, Deepti; Kanjilal, Dinakar; Bhattacharyya, Varsha

2018-03-01

Metallic tin thin films of thickness 100 nm are deposited on fused silica substrates by thermal evaporation technique. These films are implanted with 45 keV oxygen ions at fluences ranging from 5 × 1015 to 5 × 1016 ions cm-2. The energy of the oxygen ions is calculated using SRIM in order to form embedded phases at the film-substrate interface. Post-implantation, films are annealed using a tube furnace for nanocrystalline tin oxide formation. These films are characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD and Raman spectroscopy studies reveal the formation of single rutile phase of SnO2. The size of the nanocrystallites formed decreases with an increase in the ion fluence. The nanocrystalline SnO2 formation is also confirmed by UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy.

Effect of pressure-assisted thermal annealing on the optical properties of ZnO thin films.

PubMed

Berger, Danielle; Kubaski, Evaldo Toniolo; Sequinel, Thiago; da Silva, Renata Martins; Tebcherani, Sergio Mazurek; Varela, José Arana

2013-01-01

ZnO thin films were prepared by the polymeric precursor method. The films were deposited on silicon substrates using the spin-coating technique, and were annealed at 330 °C for 32 h under pressure-assisted thermal annealing and under ambient pressure. Their structural and optical properties were characterized, and the phases formed were identified by X-ray diffraction. No secondary phase was detected. The ZnO thin films were also characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence and ultraviolet emission intensity measurements. The effect of pressure on these thin films modifies the active defects that cause the recombination of deep level states located inside the band gap that emit yellow-green (575 nm) and orange (645 nm) photoluminescence. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Photocatalytic degradation of Orange G dye under solar light using nanocrystalline semiconductor metal oxide.

PubMed

Thennarasu, G; Kavithaa, S; Sivasamy, A

2011-08-01

The photocatalytic degradation of Orange G (OG) dye has been investigated using synthesised nanocrystalline ZnO as a photocatalyst and sunlight as the irradiation source. The formation of ZnO prepared from its precursor was confirmed through FT-IR and powder X-ray diffraction analyses. Surface morphology was characterised by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope analysis. Band gap energy of synthesised nanocrystalline ZnO was calculated using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Different experimental parameters such as effects of pH, dye concentrations and mass of catalyst were standardised in order to achieve complete degradation of the dye molecules under solar light irradiation. The kinetics of oxidation of OG was also studied. The complete degradation of OG was evident after 90 min of irradiation at an initial pH of 6.86. The degradation of OG was confirmed by UV-Visible spectrophotometer, high-pressure liquid chromatography, ESI-Mass and chemical oxygen demand analyses. The adsorption of dye onto catalytic surface was analysed employing model equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and it was found that the Langmuir isotherm model best fitted the adsorption data. The solar photodegradation of OG followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. HPLC and ESI-Mass analyses of the degraded samples suggested that the dye molecules were readily degraded under solar irradiation with nanocrystalline ZnO.

Estimation of electron–phonon coupling and Urbach energy in group-I elements doped ZnO nanoparticles and thin films by sol–gel method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vettumperumal, R.; Kalyanaraman, S., E-mail: mayura_priya2003@yahoo.co.in; Santoshkumar, B.

Highlights: • Comparison of group-I elements doped ZnO nanoparticles and thin films. • Calculation of electron–phonon coupling and phonon lifetime from Raman spectroscopy. • Estimation of interband states from Urbach energy. - Abstract: Group-I (Li, Na, K & Cs) elements doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and thin films were prepared using sol–gel method. XRD data and TEM images confirm the absence of any other secondary phase different from wurtzite type ZnO. Spherical shapes of grains are observed from the surfaces of doped ZnO films by atomic force microscope images (AFM) and presences of dopants are confirmed from energy dispersive X-ray spectra.more » The Raman active E{sub 2} (high), E{sub 2} (low), E{sub 1} and A{sub 1} (LO) modes are observed from both ZnO NPs and thin films. First-order longitudinal optical (LO) phonon is found to have contributions from direct band transition and localized excitons. Electron–phonon coupling, phonon lifetime and deformation energy of ZnO are calculated based on the effect of dopants with respect to the multiple Raman LO phonon scattering. Presence of localized interbands states in doped ZnO NPs and thin films are found from the Urbach energy calculations.« less

Microstructure study of ZnO thin films on Si substrate grown by MOCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jingyun; Ye, Zhizhen; Lu, Huanming; Wang, Lei; Zhao, Binghui; Li, Xianhang

2007-08-01

The microstructure of zinc oxide thin films on silicon substrates grown by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) was characterized. The cross-sectional bright-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image showed that small ZnO columnar grains were embedded into large columnar grains, and the selected-area electron diffraction pattern showed that the ZnO/Si thin films were nearly c-axis oriented. The deviation angle along the ZnO (0 0 0 1) direction with respect to the growth direction of Si (1 0 0) was no more than 5°. The [0 0 0 1]-tilt grain boundaries in ZnO/Si thin films were investigated symmetrically by plan-view high resolution TEM. The boundaries can be classified into three types: low-angle boundaries described as an irregular array of edge dislocations, boundaries of near 30° angle with (1\\,0\\,\\bar{1}\\,0) facet structures and large-angle boundaries with symmetric structure which could be explained by a low Σ coincident site lattice structure mode. The research was useful to us for finding optimized growth conditions to improve ZnO/Si thin film quality.

Electrical and structural properties of ZnO synthesized via infiltration of lithographically defined polymer templates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang-Yong Nam; Stein, Aaron; Kisslinger, Kim

We investigate the electrical and structural properties of infiltration-synthesized ZnO. In-plane ZnO nanowire arrays with prescribed positional registrations are generated by infiltrating diethlyzinc and water vapor into lithographically defined SU-8 polymer templates and removing organic matrix by oxygen plasma ashing. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that homogeneously amorphous as-infiltrated polymer templates transform into highly nanocrystalline ZnO upon removal of organic matrix. Field-effect transistor device measurements show that the synthesized ZnO after thermal annealing displays a typical n-type behavior, ~1019 cm -3 carrier density, and ~0.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 electron mobility, reflecting highly nanocrystalline internal structure. The results demonstratemore » the potential application of infiltration synthesis in fabricating metal oxide electronic devices.« less

Electrical and structural properties of ZnO synthesized via infiltration of lithographically defined polymer templates

DOE PAGES

Chang-Yong Nam; Stein, Aaron; Kisslinger, Kim; ...

2015-11-17

We investigate the electrical and structural properties of infiltration-synthesized ZnO. In-plane ZnO nanowire arrays with prescribed positional registrations are generated by infiltrating diethlyzinc and water vapor into lithographically defined SU-8 polymer templates and removing organic matrix by oxygen plasma ashing. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that homogeneously amorphous as-infiltrated polymer templates transform into highly nanocrystalline ZnO upon removal of organic matrix. Field-effect transistor device measurements show that the synthesized ZnO after thermal annealing displays a typical n-type behavior, ~1019 cm -3 carrier density, and ~0.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 electron mobility, reflecting highly nanocrystalline internal structure. The results demonstratemore » the potential application of infiltration synthesis in fabricating metal oxide electronic devices.« less

Melioration of Optical and Electrical Performance of Ga-N Codoped ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, Nripasree; Deepak, N. K.

2018-06-01

Transparent and conducting p-type zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films doped with gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N) simultaneously were deposited on glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique. Phase composition analysis by X-ray diffraction confirmed the polycrystallinity of the films with pure ZnO phase. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis showed excellent incorporation of N in the ZnO matrix by means of codoping. The optical transmittance of N monodoped film was poor but got improved with Ga-N codoping and also resulted in the enhancement of optical energy gap. Hole concentration increased with codoping and consequently, lower resistivity and high stability were obtained.

Mechanisms involved in the hydrothermal growth of ultra-thin and high aspect ratio ZnO nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demes, Thomas; Ternon, Céline; Morisot, Fanny; Riassetto, David; Legallais, Maxime; Roussel, Hervé; Langlet, Michel

2017-07-01

Hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanowires (NWs) with tailored dimensions, notably high aspect ratios (AR) and small diameters, is a major concern for a wide range of applications and still represents a challenging and recurring issue. In this work, an additive-free and reproducible hydrothermal procedure has been developed to grow ultra-thin and high AR ZnO NWs on sol-gel deposited ZnO seed layers. Controlling the substrate temperature and using a low reagent concentration (1 mM) has been found to be essential for obtaining such NWs. We show that the NW diameter remains constant at about 20-25 nm with growth time contrary to the NW length that can be selectively increased leading to NWs with ARs up to 400. On the basis of investigated experimental conditions along with thermodynamic and kinetic considerations, a ZnO NW growth mechanism has been developed which involves the formation and growth of nuclei followed by NW growth when the nuclei reach a critical size of about 20-25 nm. The low reagent concentration inhibits NW lateral growth leading to ultra-thin and high AR NWs. These NWs have been assembled into electrically conductive ZnO nanowire networks, which opens attractive perspectives toward the development of highly sensitive low-cost gas- or bio-sensors.

Investigations into the formation of nanocrystalline quantum dot thin films by mist deposition process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kshirsagar, Aditya

Semiconductor nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQDs) have material properties remarkably different compared to bulk semiconductors with the same material composition. These NQDs have various novel applications in the electronic and photonic industry, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and flat-panel displays. In these applications, ultra-thin films of NQDs in the monolayer regime are needed to ensure optimal current transport properties and device efficiency. There is ongoing search to find a suitable method to deposit and pattern such ultra-thin films of quantum dots with few monolayer thicknesses. Several competing approaches are available, each with its pros and cons. This study explores mist deposition as the technique to fill this void. In this study, ultra-thin films of quantum dots are deposited on diverse substrates and are characterized to understand the mechanics of mist deposition. Various applications of blanket deposited and patterned quantum dot films are studied. The results discussed here include atomic force microscopy analysis of the films to study surface morphology, fluorescence microscopy to study light emission and optical microscope images to study patterning techniques. These results demonstrate the ability of mist deposition to form 1-4 monolayers thick, uniform, defect-free patterned films with root mean square (RMS) surface roughness less than 2 nm. LEDs fabricated using mist deposition show a peak luminescence greater than 500 cd/m2 for matched red, yellow and green devices using Alq3 as the electron transport layer, and over 9000 cd/m2 for red devices using ZnO as the electron transport layer, respectively. In addition to the experimental approach to study the process and explore potential applications, simulation and modeling are carried out to understand the various aspects of mist deposition. A mathematical model is presented which discusses the atomization process of the precursor solution, the physics involved during the deposition

Effect of Fe incorporation on the optical behavior of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel derived spin coating techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakkesh, R. Ajay; Malathi, R.; Balakumar, S.

2013-02-01

In this work, Fe doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films were fabricated on the glass substrate by sol-gel derived spin coating technique. X-ray Diffraction studies revealed that the obtained pure and Fe doped ZnO thin films were in the wurtzite and spinel phase respectively. The three well defined Raman lines at 432, 543 and 1091 cm-1 also confirmed the lattice structure of the ZnO thin film has wurtzite symmetry. While doping Fe atoms in the ZnO, there was a significant change in the phase from wurtzite to spinel structure; owing to Fe (III) ions being incorporated into the lattice through substitution of Zn (II) ions. Room temperature PL spectra showed that the role of defect mediated red emissions at 612 nm was due to radial recombination of a photogenerated hole with an electron that belongs to the Fe atoms, which were discussed in detail.

ZnO thin-film transistors with a polymeric gate insulator built on a polyethersulfone substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyung, Gun Woo; Park, Jaehoon; Koo, Ja Ryong; Choi, Kyung Min; Kwon, Sang Jik; Cho, Eou Sik; Kim, Yong Seog; Kim, Young Kwan

2012-03-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (c-PVA) insulator are fabricated on a polyethersulfone substrate. The ZnO film, formed by atomic layer deposition, shows a polycrystalline hexagonal structure with a band gap energy of about 3.37 eV. The fabricated ZnO TFT exhibits a field-effect mobility of 0.38 cm2/Vs and a threshold voltage of 0.2 V. The hysteresis of the device is mainly caused by trapped electrons at the c-PVA/ZnO interface, whereas the positive threshold voltage shift occurs as a consequence of constant positive gate bias stress after 5000 s due to an electron injection from the ZnO film into the c-PVA insulator.

Synthesis of ZnO thin film by sol-gel spin coating technique for H2S gas sensing application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nimbalkar, Amol R.; Patil, Maruti G.

2017-12-01

In this present work, zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film synthesized by a simple sol-gel spin coating technique. The structural, morphology, compositional, microstructural, optical, electrical and gas sensing properties of the film were studied by using XRD, FESEM, EDS, XPS, HRTEM, Raman, FTIR and UV-vis techniques. The ZnO thin film shows hexagonal wurtzite structure with a porous structured morphology. Gas sensing performance of synthesized ZnO thin film was tested initially for H2S gas at different operating temperatures as well as concentrations. The maximum gas response is achieved towards H2S gas at 300 °C operating temperature, at 100 ppm gas concentration as compared to other gases like CH3OH, Cl2, NH3, LPG, CH3COCH3, and C2H5OH with a good stability.

Chemical and thermal stability of the characteristics of filtered vacuum arc deposited ZnO, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çetinörgü, E.; Goldsmith, S.

2007-09-01

ZnO, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films were deposited on commercial microscope glass and UV fused silica substrates using filtered vacuum arc deposition system. During the deposition, the substrate temperature was at room temperature (RT) or at 400 °C. The film structure and composition were determined using x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The transmission of the films in the VIS was 85% to 90%. The thermal stability of the film electrical resistance was determined in air as a function of the temperature in the range 28 °C (RT) to 200 °C. The resistance of ZnO increased from ~ 5000 to 105 Ω when heated to 200 °C, that of SnO2 films increased from 500 to 3900 Ω, whereas that of zinc stannate thin films increased only from 370 to 470 Ω. During sample cooling to RT, the resistance of ZnO and SnO2 thin films continued to rise considerably; however, the increase in the zinc stannate thin film resistance was significantly lower. After cooling to RT, ZnO and SnO2 thin films became practically insulators, while the resistance of zinc stannate was 680 Ω. The chemical stability of the films was determined by immersing in acidic and basic solutions up to 27 h. The SnO2 thin films were more stable in the HCl solution than the ZnO and the zinc stannate thin films; however, SnO2 and zinc stannate thin films that were immersed in the NaOH solution did not dissolve after 27 h.

Electrical and structural properties of ZnO synthesized via infiltration of lithographically defined polymer templates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nam, Chang-Yong, E-mail: cynam@bnl.gov; Stein, Aaron; Kisslinger, Kim

We investigate the electrical and structural properties of infiltration-synthesized ZnO. In-plane ZnO nanowire arrays with prescribed positional registrations are generated by infiltrating diethlyzinc and water vapor into lithographically defined SU-8 polymer templates and removing organic matrix by oxygen plasma ashing. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that homogeneously amorphous as-infiltrated polymer templates transform into highly nanocrystalline ZnO upon removal of organic matrix. Field-effect transistor device measurements show that the synthesized ZnO after thermal annealing displays a typical n-type behavior, ∼10{sup 19 }cm{sup −3} carrier density, and ∼0.1 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1} electron mobility, reflecting highly nanocrystalline internal structure. The results demonstrate themore » potential application of infiltration synthesis in fabricating metal oxide electronic devices.« less

The investigation of the Cr doped ZnO thin films deposited by thermionic vacuum arc technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadigharehbagh, Reza; Pat, Suat; Musaoglu, Caner; Korkmaz, Şadan; Özen, Soner

2018-02-01

Cr doped ZnO thin films were prepared onto glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using thermionic vacuum arc. XRD patterns show the polycrystalline nature of the films. Cr, Zn, ZnO and Cr2O3 were detected in the layers. The mean crystallite sizes of the films were calculated about 20 nm for the films onto glass and PET substrates. The maximum dislocation density and internal strain values of the films are calculated. According to the optical analysis, the average transmittance and reflectance of the films were found to be approximately 53% and 16% for glass and PET substrates, respectively. The mean refractive index of the layer decreased to 2.15 from 2.38 for the PET substrate. The band gap values of the Cr-doped ZnO thin films were determined as 3.10 and 3.13 eV for glass and PET substrates.

ZnO synthesized in air by fs laser irradiation on metallic Zn thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esqueda-Barrón, Y.; Herrera, M.; Camacho-López, S.

2018-05-01

We present results on rapid femtosecond laser synthesis of nanostructured ZnO. We used metallic Zn thin films to laser scan along straight tracks, until forming nanostructured ZnO. The synthesis dependence on laser irradiation parameters such as the per pulse fluence, integrated fluence, laser scan speed, and number of scans were explored carefully. SEM characterization showed that the morphology of the obtained ZnO is dictated by the integrated fluence and the laser scan speed; micro Raman and XRD results allowed to identify optimal laser processing conditions for getting good quality ZnO; and cathodoluminescence measurements demonstrated that a single laser scan at high per pulse laser fluence, but a medium integrated laser fluence and a medium laser scan speed favors a low density of point-defects in the lattice. Electrical measurements showed a correlation between resistivity of the laser produced ZnO and point-defects created during the synthesis. Transmittance measurements showed that, the synthesized ZnO can reach down to the supporting fused silica substrate under the right laser irradiation conditions. The physical mechanism for the formation of ZnO, under ultrashort pulse laser irradiation, is discussed in view of the distinct times scales given by the laser pulse duration and the laser pulse repetition rate.

Variation of microstructural and optical properties in SILAR grown ZnO thin films by thermal treatment.

PubMed

Valanarasu, S; Dhanasekaran, V; Chandramohan, R; Kulandaisamy, I; Sakthivelu, A; Mahalingam, T

2013-08-01

The influence of thermal treatment on the structural and morphological properties of the ZnO films deposited by double dip Successive ionic layer by adsorption reaction is presented. The effect of annealing temperature and time in air ambient is presented in detail. The deposited films were annealed from 200 to 400 degrees C in air and the structural properties were determined as a function of annealing temperature by XRD. The studies revealed that films were exhibiting preferential orientation along (002) plane. The other structural parameters like the crystallite size (D), micro strain (epsilon), dislocation density (delta) and stacking fault (alpha) of as-deposited and annealed ZnO films were evaluated and reported. The optical properties were also studied and the band gap of the ZnO thins films varied from 3.27 to 3.04 eV with the annealing temperature. SEM studies revealed that the hexagonal shaped grains with uniformly distributed morphology in annealed ZnO thin films. It has been envisaged using EDX analysis that the near stoichiometric composition of the film can be attained by thermal treatment during which microstructural changes do occur.

Fabrication of ZnO Thin Films by Sol-Gel Spin Coating and Their UV and White-Light Emission Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Mirgender; Dubey, Sarvesh; Rajendar, Vanga; Park, Si-Hyun

2017-10-01

ZnO thin films have been fabricated by the sol-gel spin-coating technique and annealed under different conditions, and their ultraviolet (UV) and white-light emission properties investigated. Different ambient conditions including oxygen, nitrogen, zinc-rich nitrogen, and vacuum were used to tune the main properties of the ZnO thin films. The resistivity varied from the conductive to semi-insulating regime, and the luminescence emission from fairly intense UV to polychromatic. The emission intensity was also found to be a function of the annealing conditions. Possible routes to compensate the loss of emission characteristics are discussed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was carried out to detect the chemical states of the zinc/oxygen species. The changes in the electrical and emission properties are explained based on annihilation/formation of inherent donor/acceptor-type defects. Such ZnO thin films could have potential applications in solid-state lighting.

Study of ZnO and Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles by sol-gel process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ansari, Mohd Meenhaz, E-mail: meenhazphysics@gmail.com; Arshad, Mohd; Tripathi, Pushpendra

Nano-crystalline undoped and Mg doped ZnO (Mg-ZnO) nanoparticles with compositional formula Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1-x}O (x=0,1,3,5,7,10 and 12 %) were synthesized using sol-gel process. The XRD diffraction peaks match with the pattern of the standard hexagonal structure of ZnO that reveals the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure in all samples. SEM images demonstrates clearly the formation of spherical ZnO nanoparticles, and change of the morphology of the nanoparticles with the concentration of the magnesium, which is in close agreement with that estimated by Scherer formula based on the XRD pattern. To investigate the doping effect on optical properties, the UV–VIS absorptionmore » spectra was obtained and the band gap of the samples calculated.« less

Investigations into the impact of various substrates and ZnO ultra thin seed layers prepared by atomic layer deposition on growth of ZnO nanowire array

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The impact of various substrates and zinc oxide (ZnO) ultra thin seed layers prepared by atomic layer deposition on the geometric morphology of subsequent ZnO nanowire arrays (NWs) fabricated by the hydrothermal method was investigated. The investigated substrates included B-doped ZnO films, indium tin oxide films, single crystal silicon (111), and glass sheets. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the geometry and aligment of the NWs were controlled by surface topography of the substrates and thickness of the ZnO seed layers, respectively. According to atomic force microscopy data, we suggest that the substrate, fluctuate amplitude and fluctuate frequency of roughness on ZnO seed layers have a great impact on the alignment of the resulting NWs, whereas the influence of the seed layers' texture was negligible. PMID:22759838

Friction and wear behavior of nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films deposited via MOCVD under dry contact

DOE PAGES

Mbamara, U. S.; Olofinjana, B.; Ajayi, O. O.; ...

2016-02-01

Most researches on doped ZnO thin films are tilted toward their applications in optoelectronics and semiconductor devices. Research on their tribological properties is still unfolding. In this work, nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on 304 L stainless steel substrate from a combination of zinc acetate and ammonium acetate precursor by MOCVD technique. Compositional and structural studies of the films were done using Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The frictional behavior of the thin film coatings was evaluated using a ball-on-flat configuration in reciprocating sliding under dry contact condition. After friction test, the flat and ball counter-facemore » surfaces were examined to assess the wear dimension and failure mechanism. In conclusion, both friction behavior and wear (in the ball counter-face) were observed to be dependent on the crystallinity and thickness of the thin film coatings.« less

Electric-field driven insulator-metal transition and tunable magnetoresistance in ZnO thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Le; Chen, Shanshan; Chen, Xiangyang; Ye, Zhizhen; Zhu, Liping

2018-04-01

Electrical control of the multistate phase in semiconductors offers the promise of nonvolatile functionality in the future semiconductor spintronics. Here, by applying an external electric field, we have observed a gate-induced insulator-metal transition (MIT) with the temperature dependence of resistivity in ZnO thin films. Due to a high-density carrier accumulation, we have shown the ability to inverse change magnetoresistance in ZnO by ionic liquid gating from 10% to -2.5%. The evolution of photoluminescence under gate voltage was also consistent with the MIT, which is due to the reduction of dislocation. Our in-situ gate-controlled photoluminescence, insulator-metal transition, and the conversion of magnetoresistance open up opportunities in searching for quantum materials and ZnO based photoelectric devices.

Nanocrystalline SnO2:F thin films for liquid petroleum gas sensors.

PubMed

Chaisitsak, Sutichai

2011-01-01

This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO(2)-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO(2) films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO(2) with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO(2):F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO(2) was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO(2):F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection.

Nanocrystalline SnO2:F Thin Films for Liquid Petroleum Gas Sensors

PubMed Central

Chaisitsak, Sutichai

2011-01-01

This paper reports the improvement in the sensing performance of nanocrystalline SnO2-based liquid petroleum gas (LPG) sensors by doping with fluorine (F). Un-doped and F-doped tin oxide films were prepared on glass substrates by the dip-coating technique using a layer-by-layer deposition cycle (alternating between dip-coating a thin layer followed by a drying in air after each new layer). The results showed that this technique is superior to the conventional technique for both improving the film thickness uniformity and film transparency. The effect of F concentration on the structural, surface morphological and LPG sensing properties of the SnO2 films was investigated. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction pattern measurements showed that the obtained thin films are nanocrystalline SnO2 with nanoscale-textured surfaces. Gas sensing characteristics (sensor response and response/recovery time) of the SnO2:F sensors based on a planar interdigital structure were investigated at different operating temperatures and at different LPG concentrations. The addition of fluorine to SnO2 was found to be advantageous for efficient detection of LPG gases, e.g., F-doped sensors are more stable at a low operating temperature (300 °C) with higher sensor response and faster response/recovery time, compared to un-doped sensor materials. The sensors based on SnO2:F films could detect LPG even at a low level of 25% LEL, showing the possibility of using this transparent material for LPG leak detection. PMID:22164007

Highly conductive and transparent thin ZnO films prepared in situ in a low pressure system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ataev, B. M.; Bagamadova, A. M.; Mamedov, V. V.; Omaev, A. K.; Rabadanov, M. R.

1999-03-01

Sucessful preparation of ZnO : M epitaxial thin films (ETF) in situ doped with donor impurity M=Ga, Sn by chemical vapor despsition in a low-pressure system is reported. Highly conductive (up to 10 -4 Ω cm) and transparent ( T>85%) ZnO : M ETF have been successfully produced on single crystal (1012) sapphire substrates. Electrical properties of the films as well as their excition luminescence were studied.

Bipolar charge storage characteristics in copper and cobalt co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film.

PubMed

Kumar, Amit; Herng, Tun Seng; Zeng, Kaiyang; Ding, Jun

2012-10-24

The bipolar charge phenomenon in Cu and Co co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) film samples has been studied using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. Those ZnO samples are made using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. It is found that the addition of Cu and Co dopants suppresses the electron density in ZnO and causes a significant change in the work function (Fermi level) value of the ZnO film; this results in the ohmic nature of the contact between the electrode (probe tip) and codoped sample, whereas this contact exhibits a Schottky nature in the undoped and single-element-doped samples. These results are verified by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) measurements. It is also found that the co-doping (Cu and Co) can stabilize the bipolar charge, whereas Cu doping only stabilizes the positive charge in ZnO thin films.

Visible and UV photo-detection in ZnO nanostructured thin films via simple tuning of solution method.

PubMed

Khokhra, Richa; Bharti, Bandna; Lee, Heung-No; Kumar, Rajesh

2017-11-08

This study demonstrates significant visible light photo-detection capability of pristine ZnO nanostructure thin films possessing substantially high percentage of oxygen vacancies [Formula: see text] and zinc interstitials [Formula: see text], introduced by simple tuning of economical solution method. The demonstrated visible light photo-detection capability, in addition to the inherent UV light detection ability of ZnO, shows great dependency of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with the nanostructure morphology. The dependency was evaluated by analyzing the presence/percentage of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] using photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Morphologies of ZnO viz. nanoparticles (NPs), nanosheets (NSs) and nanoflowers (NFs), as a result of tuning of synthesis method contended different concentrations of defects, demonstrated different photo-detection capabilities in the form of a thin film photodetector. The photo-detection capability was investigated under different light excitations (UV; 380~420 nm, white ; λ > 420 nm and green; 490~570 nm). The as fabricated NSs photodetector possessing comparatively intermediate percentage of [Formula: see text] ~ 47.7% and [Formula: see text] ~ 13.8% exhibited superior performance than that of NPs and NFs photodetectors, and ever reported photodetectors fabricated by using pristine ZnO nanostructures in thin film architecture. The adopted low cost and simplest approach makes the pristine ZnO-NSs applicable for wide-wavelength applications in optoelectronic devices.

Structural, Electrical and Optical Properties of Cd Doped ZnO Thin Films by Reactive dc Magnetron Sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, A. Guru Sampath; Obulapathi, L.; Sarmash, T. Sofi; Rani, D. Jhansi; Maddaiah, M.; Rao, T. Subba; Asokan, K.

2015-04-01

Thin films of cadmium (Cd) (0 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 4 wt.% and 10 wt.%) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) have been deposited on a glass substrate by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. The synthesized films are characterized by glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD), UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, four probe resistivity measurement, Hall measurement system, field emission-scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis by x-rays. A systematic study has been made on the structure, electrical and optical properties of Cd doped ZnO thin films as a function of Cd concentration (0 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 4 wt.% and 10 wt.%). All these films have a hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure with (0 0 2) orientation without any Cd related phase from the GAXRD patterns. The grain size was increased and maximum appears at 4 wt.% Cd concentration. The electrical resistivity of the films decreased with the Cd doping and minimum resistivity was observed at 4 wt.% Cd concentration. UV-Vis-NIR studies showed that the optical band gap of ZnO (3.37 eV) was reduced to 3.10 eV which is at 4 wt.% Cd concentration.

Theory and Device Modeling for Nano-Structured Transistor Channels

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

zinc oxide ( ZnO ) thin film transistors ( TFTs ) that contain nanocrystalline grains on the order of ~20nm. The authors of ref. 1 present results...problem in order to determine the threshold voltage. 15. SUBJECT TERMS nano-structured transistor , mesoscopic, zinc oxide , ZnO , field-effect...and R. Neidhard, “Microwave ZnO Thin - Film Transistors ”, IEEE Electron Dev. Lett. 29, 1024 (2008); doi: 10.1109/LED.2008.2001635.

Exciton and core-level electron confinement effects in transparent ZnO thin films

PubMed Central

Mosquera, Adolfo A.; Horwat, David; Rashkovskiy, Alexandr; Kovalev, Anatoly; Miska, Patrice; Wainstein, Dmitry; Albella, Jose M.; Endrino, Jose L.

2013-01-01

The excitonic light emission of ZnO films have been investigated by means of photoluminescence measurements in ultraviolet-visible region. Exciton confinement effects have been observed in thin ZnO coatings with thickness below 20 nm. This is enhanced by a rise of the intensity and a blue shift of the photoluminescence peak after extraction of the adsorbed species upon annealing in air. It is found experimentally that the free exciton energy (determined by the photoluminescence peak) is inversely proportional to the square of the thickness while core-level binding energy is inversely proportional to the thickness. These findings correlate very well with the theory of kinetic and potential confinements.

Influence of annealing to the defect of inkjet-printed ZnO thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Van-Thai; Wei, Yuefan; Zhan, Zhaoyao; Du, Hejun

2018-03-01

The advantages of additive manufacturing for electronic devices have led to the demand of printing functional material in search of a replacement for the conventional subtractive fabrication process. Zinc oxide (ZnO), thanks to its interesting properties for the electronic and photonic applications, has gathered many attentions in the effort to fabricate functional devices additively. Although many potential methods have been proposed, most of them focus on the lowtemperature processing of the printed material to be compatible with the polymer substrate. These low-temperature fabrication processes could establish a high concentration of defects in printed ZnO which significantly affect the performance of the device. In this study, ZnO thin film for UV photodetector application was prepared by inkjet printing of zinc acetate dihydrate solution following by different heat treatment schemes. The effects of annealing to the intrinsic defect of printed ZnO and photoresponse characteristics under UV illumination were investigated. A longer response/decay time and higher photocurrent were observed after the annealing at 350°C for 30 minutes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggests that the reducing of defect concentration, such as oxygen vacancy, and excess oxygen species in printed ZnO is the main mechanism for the variation in photoresponse. The result provides a better understanding on the defect of inkjet-printed ZnO and could be applied in engineering the properties of the printed oxide-based semiconductor.

Electrical properties of solution-deposited ZnO thin-film transistors by low-temperature annealing.

PubMed

Lim, Chul; Oh, Ji Young; Koo, Jae Bon; Park, Chan Woo; Jung, Soon-Won; Na, Bock Soon; Chu, Hye Yong

2014-11-01

Flexible oxide thin-film transistors (Oxide-TFTs) have emerged as next generation transistors because of their applicability in electronic device. In particular, the major driving force behind solution-processed zinc oxide film research is its prospective use in printing for electronics. A low-temperature process to improve the performance of solution-processed n-channel ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated via spin-coating and inkjet-printing is introduced here. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a facile sonochemical method that was slightly modified based on a previously reported method. The influence of the annealing atmosphere on both nanoparticle-based TFT devices fabricated via spin-coating and those created via inkjet printing was investigated. For the inkjet-printed TFTs, the characteristics were improved significantly at an annealing temperature of 150 degrees C. The field effect mobility, V(th), and the on/off current ratios were 3.03 cm2/Vs, -3.3 V, and 10(4), respectively. These results indicate that annealing at 150 degrees C 1 h is sufficient to obtain a mobility (μ(sat)) as high as 3.03 cm2/Vs. Also, the active layer of the solution-based ZnO nanoparticles allowed the production of high-performance TFTs for low-cost, large-area electronics and flexible devices.

Realizing luminescent downshifting in ZnO thin films by Ce doping with enhancement of photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, Nripasree; Deepak, N. K.

2018-04-01

ZnO thin films doped with Ce at different concentration were deposited on glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique. XRD analysis revealed the phase purity and polycrystalline nature of the films with hexagonal wurtzite geometry and the composition analysis confirmed the incorporation of Ce in the ZnO lattice in the case of doped films. Crystalline quality and optical transmittance diminished while electrical conductivity enhanced with Ce doping. Ce doping resulted in a red-shift of optical energy gap due to the downshift of the conduction band minimum after merging with Ce related impurity bands formed below the conduction band in the forbidden gap. In the room temperature photoluminescence spectra, UV emission intensity of the doped films decreased while the intensity of the visible emission band increased drastically implying the degradation in crystallinity as well as the incorporation of defect levels capable of luminescence downshifting. Ce doping showed improvement in photocatalytic efficiency by effectively trapping the free carriers and then transferring for dye degradation. Thus Ce doped ZnO thin films are capable of acting as luminescent downshifters as well as efficient photocatalysts.

The electrical, elemental, optical, and surface properties of Si-doped ZnO thin films prepared by thermionic vacuum arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadigharehbagh, Reza; Özen, Soner; Yudar, Hafizittin Hakan; Pat, Suat; Korkmaz, Şadan

2017-09-01

The purpose of this work is to study the properties of Si-doped ZnO (SZO) thin films, which were prepared using the non-reactive thermionic vacuum arc technique. The analysis of the elemental, optical, and surface properties of ZnO:Si thin films was carried out using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The current-voltage measurement was employed in order to study the electrical properties of the films. The effect of Si doping on the physical properties of ZnO films was investigated. The film thicknesses were measured as 55 and 35 nm for glass and PET substrates, respectively. It was clearly observed from the x-ray diffraction results that the Si and ZnO peaks were present in the coated SZO films for all samples. The morphological studies showed that the deposited surfaces are homogenous, dense, and have a uniform surface, with the existence of some cracks only on the glass substrate. The elemental composition has confirmed the existence of Zn, Si, and O elements within the prepared films. Using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer, the optical parameters such as transmittance, absorbance, refractive index, and reflectance were calculated. It should be noted that the transparency and refractive indices obtained from the measurements decrease with increasing Si concentration. The obtained optical bandgap values using transmittance spectra were determined to be 3.74 and 3.84 eV for the glass and PET substrates, respectively. An increase in the bandgap results demonstrates that the Si doping concentration is comparable to the pure ZnO thin films. The current versus voltage curves revealed the ohmic nature of the films. Subsequently, the development and fabrication of excellent transparent conducting electrodes enabled the appropriate use of Si-doped ZnO thin films.

Effect of stress, strain and optical properties in vacuum and normal annealed ZnO thin films using RF magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, B. Santhosh; Purvaja, K.; Harinee, N.; Venkateswaran, C.

2018-05-01

Zinc oxide thin films have been deposited on quartz substrate using RF magnetron sputtering. The deposited films were subjected to different annealing atmosphere at a fixed temperature of 500 °C for 5h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns reveals the shift in the peak of both normal annealed and vacuum annealed thin films when compared to as-deposited ZnO film. The crystallite size, intrinsic stress and other parameters were calculated from XRD data. The surface morphology of the obtained films were studied using Atomic force microscopy (AFM). From Uv-Visible spectroscopy, the peak at 374 nm of all the films is characteristics of ZnO. The structural, thermal stability and optical properties of the annealed ZnO films are discussed in detail.

Contrastive Study on the Structure and the Ultraviolet Absorption Property of Multiple-Doped and Element-Doped ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yunyun; Zhang, Tao; Lin, Zhenrong; Tian, Yanfeng; Zhou, Shandan

Sb2O3- and CeO2-doped ZnO thin films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering technique. The influence of Sb2O3 and CeO2 on the structure and ultraviolet (UV) absorption properties was studied by X-ray diffraction and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Results show that multiple doping of films had a prominent effect on the development of crystal grains and the UV absorption property. Ce and Sb exist in many forms in the ZnO film. The multiple-doped films also show enhanced UVA absorption, and the UV absorption peak widens and the absorption intensity increases. Sb plays a dominant role on the structure and UV absorption of ZnO thin films, which are enhanced by Ce.

Improved efficiency of ZnO hierarchical particle based dye sensitized solar cell by incorporating thin passivation layer in photo-anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Priyanka; Mondal, Biswanath; Mukherjee, Kalisadhan

2018-01-01

Present article describes the DSSC performances of photo-anodes prepared using hydrothermal route derived ZnO particles having dissimilar morphologies i.e. simple micro-rod and nano-tips decorated micro-rod. The surface of nano-tips decorated micro-rod is uneven and patterned which facilitate more dye adsorption and better scattering of the incident light resulting superior photo-conversion efficiency (PCE) ( η 1.09%) than micro-rod ZnO ( η 0.86%). To further improve the efficiency of nano-tips decorated micro-rod ZnO based DSSC, thin passivation layer of ZnO is introduced in the corresponding photo-anode and a higher PCE ( η 1.29%) is achieved. The compact thin passivation layer here expedites the transportation of photo-excited electrons, restricts the undesired recombination reactions and prevents the direct contact of electrolyte with conducting substrates. Attempt is made to understand the effect of passivation layer on the transportation kinetics of photo-excited electrons by analyzing the electrochemical impedance spectra of the developed cells.

Effect of Mg doping in the gas-sensing performance of RF-sputtered ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinoth, E.; Gowrishankar, S.; Gopalakrishnan, N.

2018-06-01

Thin films of Mg-free and Mg-doped (3, 10 and 20 mol%) ZnO thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering for gas-sensing application. Preferential orientation along (002) plane with hexagonal wurtzite structure has been observed in X-ray diffraction analysis. The conductivity, resistivity, and mobility of the deposited films have been measured by Hall effect measurement. The bandgap of the films has been calculated from the UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. It has been found that the bandgap was increased from 3.35 to 3.91 eV with Mg content in ZnO due to the radiative recombination of excitons. The change in morphology of the grown films has been investigated by scanning electron microscope. Gas-sensing measurements have been conducted for fabricated films. The sensor response, selectivity, and stability measurement were done for the fabricated films. Though better response was found towards ethanol, methanol, and ammonia for MZ2 (Mg at 10 mol%) film and maximum gas response was observed towards ammonia. The selectivity measurement reveals maximum sensitivity about 42% for ammonia. The low response time of 123 s and recovery time of 152 s towards ammonia were observed for MZ2 (Mg at 10 mol%). Stability of the Mg-doped ZnO thin film confirmed by the continuous sensing measurements for 4 months.

Microstructure factor and mechanical and electronic properties of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films for microelectromechanical systems applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mouro, J.; Gualdino, A.; Chu, V.

2013-11-14

Thin-film silicon allows the fabrication of MEMS devices at low processing temperatures, compatible with monolithic integration in advanced electronic circuits, on large-area, low-cost, and flexible substrates. The most relevant thin-film properties for applications as MEMS structural layers are the deposition rate, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stress. In this work, n{sup +}-type doped hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin-films were deposited by RF-PECVD, and the influence of the hydrogen dilution in the reactive mixture, the RF-power coupled to the plasma, the substrate temperature, and the deposition pressure on the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of the films was studied. Three differentmore » types of silicon films were identified, corresponding to three internal structures: (i) porous amorphous silicon, deposited at high rates and presenting tensile mechanical stress and low electrical conductivity, (ii) dense amorphous silicon, deposited at intermediate rates and presenting compressive mechanical stress and higher values of electrical conductivity, and (iii) nanocrystalline silicon, deposited at very low rates and presenting the highest compressive mechanical stress and electrical conductivity. These results show the combinations of electromechanical material properties available in silicon thin-films and thus allow the optimized selection of a thin silicon film for a given MEMS application. Four representative silicon thin-films were chosen to be used as structural material of electrostatically actuated MEMS microresonators fabricated by surface micromachining. The effect of the mechanical stress of the structural layer was observed to have a great impact on the device resonance frequency, quality factor, and actuation force.« less

On the thermal stability of physical vapor deposited oxide-hardened nanocrystalline gold thin films

DOE PAGES

Argibay, Nicolas; Mogonye, J. E.; Michael, Joseph R.; ...

2015-04-08

We describe a correlation between electrical resistivity and grain size for PVD synthesized polycrystalline oxide-hardened metal-matrix thin films in oxide-dilute (<5 vol. % oxide phase) compositions. The correlation is based on the Mayadas-Shatzkes (M-S) electron scattering model, predictive of grain size evolution as a function of composition in the oxide-dilute regime for 2 μm thick Au-ZnO films. We describe a technique to investigate grain boundary (GB) mobility and the thermal stability of GBs based on in situelectrical resistivity measurements during annealing experiments, interpreted using a combination of the M-S model and the Michels et al. model describing solute drag stabilizedmore » grain growth kinetics. Using this technique, activation energy and pre-exponential Arrhenius parameter values of E a = 21.6 kJ/mol and A o = 2.3 × 10 -17 m 2/s for Au-1 vol. % ZnO and E a =12.7 kJ/mol and A o = 3.1 × 10 -18 m 2/s for Au-2 vol.% ZnO were determined. In the oxide-dilute regime, the grain size reduction of the Au matrix yielded a maximum hardness of 2.6 GPa for 5 vol. % ZnO. A combined model including percolation behavior and grain refinement is presented that accurately describes the composition dependent change in electrical resistivity throughout the entire composition range for Au-ZnO thin films. As a result, the proposed correlations are supported by microstructural characterization using transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction mapping for grain size determination.« less

Effect of aging heat time and annealing temperature on the properties of nanocrystalline tin dioxide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadhim, Imad H.; Abu Hassan, H.

2017-04-01

Nanocrystalline tin dioxide (SnO2) thin films have been successfully prepared by sol-gel spin-coating technique on p-type Si (100) substrates. A stable solution was prepared by mixing tin(II) chloride dihydrate, pure ethanol, and glycerin. Temperature affects the properties of SnO2 thin films, particularly the crystallite size where the crystallization of SnO2 with tetragonal rutile structure is achieved when thin films that prepared under different aging heat times are annealed at 400∘C. By increasing aging heat time in the presence of annealing temperatures the FESEM images indicated that the thickness of the fabricated film was directly proportional to solution viscosity, increasing from approximately 380 nm to 744 nm, as well as the crystallization of the thin films improved and reduced defects.

Nonlinear optical parameters of nanocrystalline AZO thin film measured at different substrate temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jilani, Asim; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh; Al-ghamdi, Attieh A.; Dahlan, Ammar sadik; Yahia, I. S.

2016-01-01

The 2.2 wt% of aluminum (Al)-doped zinc oxide (AZO) transparent and preferential c-axis oriented thin films were prepared by using radio frequency (DC/RF) magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperature ranging from room temperature to 200 °C. For structural analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Electron Microscope (AFM) was used for morphological studies. The optical parameters such as, optical energy gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, dielectric loss, tangent loss, first and third order nonlinear optical properties of transparent films were investigated. High transmittance above 90% and highly homogeneous surface were observed in all samples. The substrate temperature plays an important role to get the best transparent conductive oxide thin films. The substrate temperature at 150 °C showed the growth of highly transparent AZO thin film. Energy gap increased with the increased in substrate temperature of Al doped thin films. Dielectric constant and loss were found to be photon energy dependent with substrate temperature. The change in substrate temperature of Al doped thin films also affect the non-liner optical properties of thin films. The value of χ(3) was found to be changed with the grain size of the thin films that directly affected by the substrate temperature of the pure and Al doped ZnO thin films.

Annealing Temperature Dependent Structural and Optical Properties of RF Sputtered ZnO Thin Films.

PubMed

Sharma, Shashikant; Varma, Tarun; Asokan, K; Periasamy, C; Boolchandani, Dharmendar

2017-01-01

This work investigates the effect of annealing temperature on structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films grown over Si 100 and glass substrates using RF sputtering technique. Annealing temperature has been varied from 300 °C to 600 °C in steps of 100, and different microstructural parameters such as grain size, dislocation density, lattice constant, stress and strain have been evaluated. The structural and surface morphological characterization has been done using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). XRD analysis reveals that the peak intensity of 002 crystallographic orientation increases with increased annealing temperature. Optical characterization of deposited films have been done using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectrometer. An increase in optical bandgap of deposited ZnO thin films with increasing annealing temperature has been observed. The average optical transmittance was found to be more than 85% for all deposited films. Photoluminiscense spectra (PL) suggest that the crystalline quality of deposited film has increased at higher annealing temperature.

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer.

PubMed

Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; AlSalhi, Mohamad S; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees A; Willander, Magnus

2013-09-30

In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer

PubMed Central

Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; AlSalhi, Mohamad S.; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees A.; Willander, Magnus

2013-01-01

In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices. PMID:28788336

Synthesis of highly conductive thin-walled Al-doped ZnO single-crystal microtubes by a solid state method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shuopeng; Wang, Yue; Wang, Qiang; Xing, Cheng; Yan, Yinzhou; Jiang, Yijian

2018-06-01

ZnO has attracted considerable attention in fundamental studies and practical applications for the past decade due to its outstanding performance in gas sensing, photocatalytic degradation, light harvesting, UV-light emitting/lasing, etc. The large-sized thin-walled ZnO (TW-ZnO) microtube with stable and rich VZn-related acceptors grown by optical vapor supersaturated precipitation (OVSP) is a novel multifunctional optoelectronic material. Unfortunately, the OVSP cannot achieve doping due to the vapor growth process. To obtain doped TW-ZnO microtubes, a solid state method is introduced in this work to achieve thin-walled Al-doping ZnO (TW-ZnO:Al) microtubes with high electrical conductivity. The morphology and microstructures of ZnO:Al microtubes are similar to undoped ones. The Al3+ ions are confirmed to substitute Zn2+ sites and Zn(0/-1) vacancies in the lattice of ZnO by EDS, XRD, Raman and temperature-dependent photoluminescence analyses. The Al dopant acting as a donor level offers massive free electrons to increase the carrier concentrations. The resistivity of the ZnO:Al microtube is reduced down to ∼10-3 Ω·cm, which is one order of magnitude lower than that of the undoped microtube. The present work provides a simple way to achieve doped ZnO tubular components for potential device applications in optoelectronics.

Ti-doped ZnO Thin Films Prepared at Different Ambient Conditions: Electronic Structures and Magnetic Properties

PubMed Central

Yong, Zhihua; Liu, Tao; Uruga, Tomoya; Tanida, Hajime; Qi, Dongchen; Rusydi, Andrivo; Wee, Andrew T. S.

2010-01-01

We present a comprehensive study on Ti-doped ZnO thin films using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Ti K edge XAFS spectra were measured to study the electronic and chemical properties of Ti ions in the thin films grown under different ambient atmospheres. A strong dependence of Ti speciation, composition, and local structures upon the ambient conditions was observed. The XAFS results suggest a major tetrahedral coordination and a 4+ valence state. The sample grown in a mixture of 80% Ar and 20% O2 shows a portion of precipitates with higher coordination. A large distortion was observed by the Ti substitution in the ZnO lattice. Interestingly, the film prepared in 80% Ar, 20% O2 shows the largest saturation magnetic moment of 0.827 ± 0.013 µB/Ti.

Depth profiling of nitrogen within 15N-incorporated nano-crystalline diamond thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Cassidy, D. P.; Dissanayake, A.; Mancini, D. C.; Ghantasala, M. K.; Kayani, A.

2013-09-01

Nano-Crystalline Diamond (NCD) thin films are a topic of recent interest due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. The inclusion of nitrogen is a specific interest as its presence within NCD modifies its conductive properties. The methodology adopted for the characterization of nitrogen incorporated NCD films grown on a chromium underlayer determined a correlation between the chromium and nitrogen concentrations as well as a variation in the concentration profile of elements. Additionally, the concentration of nitrogen was found to be more than three times greater for these films versus those grown on a silicon substrate.

Influence of oxygen partial pressure on the microstructural and magnetic properties of Er-doped ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Wei-Bin; Li, Fei; Chen, Hong-Ming

2015-06-15

Er-doped ZnO thin films have been prepared by using inductively coupled plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition at different O{sub 2}:Ar gas flow ratio (R = 0:30, 1:30, 1:15, 1:10 and 1:6). The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the structural, optical and magnetic properties was studied. It is found that an appropriate oxygen partial pressure (R=1:10) can produce the best crystalline quality with a maximum grain size. The internal strain, estimated by fitting the X-ray diffraction peaks, varied with oxygen partial pressure during growth. PL measurements show that plenty of defects, especially zinc vacancy, exist in Er-doped ZnO films. Allmore » the samples show room-temperature ferromagnetism. Importantly, the saturation magnetization exhibits similar dependency on oxygen partial pressure with the internal strain, which indicates that internal strain has an important effect on the magnetic properties of Er-doped ZnO thin films.« less

Fabrication and electrical properties of low temperature-processed thin-film-transistors with chemical-bath deposited ZnO layer.

PubMed

Ahn, Joo-Seob; Kwon, Ji-Hye; Yang, Heesun

2013-06-01

ZnO film was grown on ZnO quantum dot seed layer-coated substrate by a low-temperature chemical bath deposition, where sodium citrate serves as a complexing agent for Zn2+ ion. The ZnO film deposited under the optimal condition exhibited a highly uniform surface morphology with a thickness of approimately 30 nm. For the fabrication of thin-film-transistor with a bottom-gate structure, ZnO film was chemically deposited on the transparent substrate of a seed layer-coated SiN(x)/ITO (indium tin oxide)/glass. As-deposited ZnO channel was baked at low temperatures of 60-200 degrees C to investigate the effect of baking temperature on electrical performances. Compared to the device with 60 degrees C-baked ZnO channel, the TFT performances of one with 200 degrees C-baked channel were substantially improved, exhibiting an on-off current ratio of 3.6 x 10(6) and a saturated field-effect mobility of 0.27 cm2/V x s.

Cd-doped ZnO nano crystalline thin films prepared at 723K by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joishy, Sumanth; Rajendra B., V.

2018-04-01

Ternary Zn1-xCdxO(x=0.10, 0.40, 0.70 at.%) thin films of 0.025M precursor concentration have been successfully deposited on preheated (723K) glass substrates using spray pyrolysis route. The structure, morphology and optical properties of deposited films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV-Visible spectrophotometry. X-ray diffraction study shows that the prepared films are polycrystalline in nature. 10% Cd doped ZnO film belongs to the hexagonal wurtzite system and 70% Cd doped ZnO film belongs to the cubic system, although mixed phases were formed for 40% Cd doped ZnO film. The optical transmittance spectra has shown red shift with increasing cadmium content. Optical energy band gap has been reduced with cadmium dopant.

The structural and optical properties of Y (Y  =  Al, B, Si and Ti)-doped ZnO nano thin films from the first principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenshu; Hu, Huijun; Zhang, Caili; Li, Jianguo; Li, Yuping; Ling, Lixia; Han, Peide

2017-12-01

Based on the density functional theory, the structural stability and optical properties of undoped and Y (Y  =  Al, B, Si and Ti)-doped ZnO nano thin films are investigated. The good stability of the films based on the ZnO (0 0 0 1) can be obtained when the layer is larger than 12. Moreover, the dielectric function, refractive index, absorption, and reflectivity of doped ZnO nano thin films have been analyzed in detail. In the visible light range, the values of ZnO films from 12 to 24 layers are all smaller than those of the bulk. And with the augment of the layers, the values keep increasing. All the results signify that the nano film of 12 layers possesses the lowest reflectivity and weakest absorption. In addition, there is an evident impact of some doped element on the properties of nano films. The absorption and reflectivity of Ti, Si-doped ZnO nano thin films are higher than those of the clean films, while Al, B-doped are lower, especially B-doped. Moreover, the conductivity of the doped structure is better than that of the bulk. Thus, the B-doped ZnO nano thin films could be potential candidate materials of transparent conductive films.

Contact resistance reduction of ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs) with saw-shaped electrode.

PubMed

Park, Woojin; Shaikh, Sohail F; Min, Jung-Wook; Lee, Sang Kyung; Lee, Byoung Hun; Hussain, Muhammad M

2018-08-10

We report on a saw-shaped electrode architecture ZnO thin film transistor (TFT), which effectively increases the channel width. The contact line of the saw-shaped electrode is almost twice as long at the contact metal/ZnO channel junction. We experimentally observed an enhancement in the output drive current by 50% and a reduction in the contact resistance by over 50%, when compared to a typically shaped electrode ZnO TFT consuming the same chip area. This performance enhancement is attributed to the extension of the channel width. This technique can contribute to device performance enhancement, and in particular reduce the contact resistance, which is a serious challenge.

Structural and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 thin film prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavan, Apparao R.; Chilwar, R. R.; Shisode, M. V.; Hivrekar, Mahesh M.; Mande, V. K.; Jadhav, K. M.

2018-05-01

The nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 thin film has been prepared using a spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrate. The prepared thin film was characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) characterization techniques for the structural and microstructural analysis. The magnetic property was measured using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. X-ray diffraction studies show the formation of single phase spinel structure of the thin film. The octahedral and tetrahedral vibration in the sample was studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. Magnetic hysteresis loop was recorded for thin film at room temperature. At 15 kOe, saturation magnetization (Ms) was found to increase while coercivity (Hc) decreases with thickness of the NiFe2O4 thin film.

ZnO Nanoparticles/Reduced Graphene Oxide Bilayer Thin Films for Improved NH3-Sensing Performances at Room Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tai, Huiling; Yuan, Zhen; Zheng, Weijian; Ye, Zongbiao; Liu, Chunhua; Du, Xiaosong

2016-03-01

ZnO nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) thin film were deposited on gold interdigital electrodes (IDEs) in sequence via simple spraying process, which was further restored to ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) bilayer thin film by the thermal reduction treatment and employed for ammonia (NH3) detection at room temperature. rGO was identified by UV-vis absorption spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) analyses, and the adhesion between ZnO nanoparticles and rGO nanosheets might also be formed. The NH3-sensing performances of pure rGO film and ZnO/rGO bilayer films with different sprayed GO amounts were compared. The results showed that ZnO/rGO film sensors exhibited enhanced response properties, and the optimal GO amount of 1.5 ml was achieved. Furthermore, the optimal ZnO/rGO film sensor showed an excellent reversibility and fast response/recovery rate within the detection range of 10-50 ppm. Meanwhile, the sensor also displayed good repeatability and selectivity to NH3. However, the interference of water molecules on the prepared sensor is non-ignorable; some techniques should be researched to eliminate the effect of moisture in the further work. The remarkably enhanced NH3-sensing characteristics were speculated to be attributed to both the supporting role of ZnO nanoparticles film and accumulation heterojunction at the interface between ZnO and rGO. Thus, the proposed ZnO/rGO bilayer thin film sensor might give a promise for high-performance NH3-sensing applications.

Photoluminescence and photoconductivity studies on amorphous and crystalline ZnO thin films obtained by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valverde-Aguilar, G.; Manríquez Zepeda, J. L.

2015-03-01

Amorphous and crystalline ZnO thin films were obtained by the sol-gel process. A precursor solution of ZnO was synthesized by using zinc acetate dehydrate as inorganic precursor at room temperature. The films were spin-coated on silicon and glass wafers and gelled in humid air. The films were calcined at 450 °C for 15 min to produce ZnO nanocrystals with a wurtzite structure. Crystalline ZnO film exhibits an absorption band located at 359 nm (3.4 eV). Photoconductivity technique was used to determine the charge transport mechanism on both kinds of films. Experimental data were fitted with straight lines at darkness and under illumination at 355 and 633 nm wavelengths. This indicates an ohmic behavior. The photovoltaic and photoconductivity parameters were determined from the current density versus the applied electrical field results.

Size-controlled synthesis of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films by inert gas condensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Jeewan; Singh, Randhir; Kumar, Akshay; Singh, Tejbir; Agrawal, Paras; Thakur, Anup

2018-02-01

Size, shape and structure are considered to have significant influence on various properties of semiconducting nanomaterials. Different properties of these materials can be tailored by controlling the size. Size-controlled CdSe crystallites ranging from ˜ 04 to 95 nm were deposited by inert gas-condensation technique (IGC). In IGC method, by controlling the inert gas pressure in the condensation chamber and the substrate temperature or both, it was possible to produce nanoparticles with desired size. Structure and crystallite size of CdSe thin films were determined from Hall-Williamson method using X-ray diffraction data. The composition of CdSe samples was estimated by X-ray microanalysis. It was confirmed that CdSe thin film with different nanometer range crystallite sizes were synthesized with this technique, depending upon the synthesis conditions. The phase of deposited CdSe thin films also depend upon deposition conditions and cubic to hexagonal phase transition was observed with increase in substrate temperature. The effect of crystallite size on optical and electrical properties of these films was also studied. The crystallite size affects the optical band gap, electrical conductivity and mobility activation of nanocrystalline CdSe thin films. Mobility activation study suggested that there is a quasi-continuous linear distribution of three different trap levels below the conduction band.

Exploration of Al-Doped ZnO in Photovoltaic Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciccarino, Christopher; Sahiner, M. Alper

The electrical properties of Al doped ZnO-based thin films represent a potential advancement in the push for increasing solar cell efficiency. Doping with Aluminum will theoretically decrease resistivity of the film and therefore achieve this potential as a viable option in the P-N junction phase of photovoltaic cells. The n-type semi-conductive characteristics of the ZnO layer will theoretically be optimized with the addition of Aluminum carriers. In this study, Aluminum doping concentrations ranging from 1-3% by mass were produced, analyzed, and compared. Films were developed onto ITO coated glass using the Pulsed Laser Deposition technique. Target thickness was 250 nm and ellipsometry measurements showed uniformity and accuracy in this regard. Active dopant concentrations were determined using Hall Effect measurements. Efficiency measurements showed possible applications of this doped compound, with upwards of 7% efficiency measured, using a Keithley 2602 SourceMeter set-up. XRD scans showed highly crystalline structures, with effective Al intertwining of the hexagonal wurtzile ZnO molecular structure. This alone indicates a promising future of collaboration between these two materials.

Perovskite solar cells based on nanocolumnar plasma-deposited ZnO thin films.

PubMed

Ramos, F Javier; López-Santos, Maria C; Guillén, Elena; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad Khaja; Grätzel, Michael; Gonzalez-Elipe, Agustin R; Ahmad, Shahzada

2014-04-14

ZnO thin films having a nanocolumnar microstructure are grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at 423 K on pre-treated fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. The films consist of c-axis-oriented wurtzite ZnO nanocolumns with well-defined microstructure and crystallinity. By sensitizing CH3NH3PbI3 on these photoanodes a power conversion of 4.8% is obtained for solid-state solar cells. Poly(triarylamine) is found to be less effective when used as the hole-transport material, compared to 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD), while the higher annealing temperature of the perovskite leads to a better infiltration in the nanocolumnar structure and an enhancement of the cell efficiency. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Effect of Thickness of ZnO Thin Films on Hydrophobic Self-Cleaning Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mufti, N.; Arista, D.; Diantoro, M.; Fuad, A.; Taufiq, A.; Sunaryono

2017-05-01

Glass coating can be conducted by using ZnO-photocatalyst based semiconductor material since it is preeminent in decomposing organics compound and dangerous bacteria which often contaminates the environment. If there are dirt containing organics compound on the glass, the ZnO photocatalyst coat can be applied as self-cleaning, usually called self-cleaning glass. It depends on the coating thickness which can be controlled by setting the speed of spin coating. In this research, the various rotating speeds of spin coating were conducted at 2000 rpm, 3000 rpm, and 4000 rpm to control the thickness. The raw materials used in this research were Zn(CH3COOH)2.2H2O (PA 99,5%), Ethylene glycol, Diethanolamine (PA 99%), Isopropanol Alkohol, Glycerol, and Ashton. Synthesis methods used were sol-gel prior to spin coating technic were applied. The results of the film were characterized by using SEM, XRD, and UV-Spectrophotometer. The crystal structure was analyzed by using Highscore plus and GSAS software, the size crystal was calculated by using Scherrer equation, a contact angle with ImageJ software. It was shown that ZnO thin film had been successfully synthesized with the crystal size around 21 nm up to 26 nm. The absorption value is higher due to the increasing of coat thickness with bandgap ± 3.2 eV. The test result of hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics show that all samples of ZnO thin film with the thickness ± 1.050 μm, ± 0.450 μm, ± 0.250 μm can be applied as self-cleaning glass. The best result was gained with the thickness of thin film ± 1.050 μm.

Studies on visible light photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel spin coating method.

PubMed

Poongodi, G; Anandan, P; Kumar, R Mohan; Jayavel, R

2015-09-05

Nanostructured cobalt doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass substrate by sol-gel spin coating technique and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The XRD results showed that the thin films were well crystalline with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The results of EDAX and XPS revealed that Co was doped into ZnO structure. FESEM images revealed that the films possess granular morphology without any crack and confirm that Co doping decreases the grain size. UV-Vis transmission spectra show that the substitution of Co in ZnO leads to band gap narrowing. The Co doped ZnO films were found to exhibit improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light in comparison with the undoped ZnO film. The decrease in grain size and extending light absorption towards the visible region by Co doping in ZnO film contribute equally to the improved photocatalytic activity. The bactericidal efficiency of Co doped ZnO films were investigated against a Gram negative (Escherichia coli) and a Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. The optical density (OD) measurement showed better bactericidal activity at higher level of Co doping in ZnO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical characterization of Mg-doped ZnO thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Satyendra Kumar; Tripathi, Shweta; Hazra, Purnima

2016-05-06

This paper reports the in-depth analysis on optical characteristics of magnesium (Mg) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films grown on p-silicon (Si) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering technique. The variable angle ellipsometer is used for the optical characterization of as-deposited thin films. The optical reflectance, transmission spectra and thickness of as-deposited thin films are measured in the spectral range of 300-800 nm with the help of the spectroscopic ellipsometer. The effect of Mg-doping on optical parameters such as optical bandgap, absorption coefficient, absorbance, extinction coefficient, refractive Index and dielectric constant for as-deposited thin films are extracted to show its application inmore » optoelectronic and photonic devices.« less

Surface modification of a polyimide gate insulator with an yttrium oxide interlayer for aqueous-solution-processed ZnO thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Jang, Kwang-Suk; Wee, Duyoung; Kim, Yun Ho; Kim, Jinsoo; Ahn, Taek; Ka, Jae-Won; Yi, Mi Hye

2013-06-11

We report a simple approach to modify the surface of a polyimide gate insulator with an yttrium oxide interlayer for aqueous-solution-processed ZnO thin-film transistors. It is expected that the yttrium oxide interlayer will provide a surface that is more chemically compatible with the ZnO semiconductor than is bare polyimde. The field-effect mobility and the on/off current ratio of the ZnO TFT with the YOx/polyimide gate insulator were 0.456 cm(2)/V·s and 2.12 × 10(6), respectively, whereas the ZnO TFT with the polyimide gate insulator was inactive.

Defect dynamics in Li substituted nanocrystalline ZnO: A spectroscopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, S.; Nambissan, P. M. G.; Thapa, S.; Mandal, K.

2014-12-01

Very recently, vacancy-type defects have been found to play a major role in stabilizing d0 ferromagnetism in various low dimensional ZnO systems. In this context, the evolution of vacancy-type defects within the ZnO nanocrystals due to the doping of ZnO by alkali metal lithium (Li) is investigated using X-ray photoelectron (XPS), photoluminescence (PL) and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). Li-doping is found to have significant effects in modifying the vacancy-type defects, especially the Zn vacancy (VZn) defects within the ZnO lattice. XPS measurement indicated that initially the Li1+ ions substitute at Zn2+ sites, but when Li concentration exceeds 7 at%, excess Li starts to move through the interstitial sites. The increase in positron lifetime components and the lineshape S-parameter obtained from coincident Doppler broadening spectra with Li-doping indicated an enhancement of VZn defect concentration within the doped ZnO lattice. The vacancy type defects, initially of the predominant configuration VZn+O+Zn got reduced to neutral ZnO divacancies due to the partial recombination by the doped Li1+ ions but, when the doping concentration exceeded 7 at% and Li1+ ions started migrating to the interstitials, positron diffusion is partly impeded and this results in reduced probability of annihilation. PL spectra have shown intense green and yellow-orange emission due to the stabilization of a large number of VZn defects and Li substitutional (LiZn) defects respectively. Hence Li can be a very useful dopant in stabilizing and modifying significant amount of Zn vacancy-defects which can play a useful role in determining the material behavior.

Enhanced Performance in Al-Doped ZnO Based Transparent Flexible Transparent Thin-Film Transistors Due to Oxygen Vacancy in ZnO Film with Zn-Al-O Interfaces Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Yao, Rui; Wang, Huanhuan; Wu, Xiaoming; Wu, Jinzhu; Wu, Xiaohong; Qin, Wei

2017-04-05

Highly conductive and optical transparent Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin film composed of ZnO with a Zn-Al-O interface was fabricated by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. The as-prepared AZO thin film exhibits excellent electrical and optical properties with high stability and compatibility with temperature-sensitive flexible photoelectronic devices; film resistivity is as low as 5.7 × 10 -4 Ω·cm, the carrier concentration is high up to 2.2 × 10 21 cm -3 . optical transparency is greater than 80% in a visible range, and the growth temperature is below 150 °C on the PEN substrate. Compared with the conventional AZO film containing by a ZnO-Al 2 O 3 interface, we propose that the underlying mechanism of the enhanced electrical conductivity for the current AZO thin film is attributed to the oxygen vacancies deficiency derived from the free competitive growth mode of Zn-O and Al-O bonds in the Zn-Al-O interface. The flexible transparent transistor based on this AZO electrode exhibits a favorable threshold voltage and I on /I off ratio, showing promising for use in high-resolution, fully transparent, and flexible display applications.

Effect of concentration and irradiation on the optical and structural properties of ZnO thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adeoye Victor, Babalola

2017-12-01

This study involves the preparation of ZnO thin films by spray pyrolysis and to investigate the effect of concentration of the film and irradiation on ZnO thin film deposited by spray pyrolysis method deposited at 350 ± 5 °C. The precursor for zinc oxide was produced from zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO))2. The samples were annealed at 500 °C for 6 h and irradiated using 137Cs 90.998 mCi radiation. They were then characterised using ultra violet-visible spectrophotometry, X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) with Cu-Kα radiation to determine the structure of the film, Four-point probe for electrical properties and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) were used for the composition of the film. XRD diffraction peaks observed for 0.05 M ZnO were (1 0 0), (0 0 2), (1 0 1) and (1 1 0) planes for the annealed and irradiated annealed ZnO films with no preferential orientation. The as-deposited films have low peaks belonging to (1 0 0), (0 0 2), (1 0 1), (1 1 0) plane and other peaks such as (1 1 2), (2 0 0) and (2 0 1). The results are explained with regard to the irradiation damage introduced to the samples. The as-deposited, annealed and irradiated-annealed films are highly transparent in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum with an average percent transmittance values of 85% and present a sharp ultraviolet cut-off at approximately 380 nm for the ZnO thin film.

A Low Temperature, Solution-Processed Poly(4-vinylphenol), YO(x) Nanoparticle Composite/Polysilazane Bi-Layer Gate Insulator for ZnO Thin Film Transistor.

PubMed

Shin, Hyeonwoo; Kang, Chan-Mo; Chae, Hyunsik; Kim, Hyun-Gwan; Baek, Kyu-Ha; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Park, Man-Young; Do, Lee-Mi; Lee, Changhee

2016-03-01

Low temperature, solution-processed metal oxide thin film transistors (MEOTFTs) have been widely investigated for application in low-cost, transparent, and flexible electronics. To enlarge the application area, solution-processed gate insulators (GI) have been investigated in recent years. We investigated the effects of the organic/inorganic bi-layer GI to ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs). PVP, YO(x) nanoparticle composite, and polysilazane bi-layer showed low leakage current (-10(-8) A/cm2 in 2 MV), which are applicable in low temperature processed MEOTFTs. Polysilazane was used as an interlayer between ZnO and PVP, YO(x) nanoparticle composite as a good charge transport interface with ZnO. By applying the PVP, YO(x), nanoparticle composite/polysilazane bi-layer structure to ZnO TFTs, we successfully suppressed the off current (I(off)) to -10(-11) and fabricated good MEOTFTs in 180 degrees C.

ZnO transparent conductive oxide for thin film silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Söderström, T.; Dominé, D.; Feltrin, A.; Despeisse, M.; Meillaud, F.; Bugnon, G.; Boccard, M.; Cuony, P.; Haug, F.-J.; Faÿ, S.; Nicolay, S.; Ballif, C.

2010-03-01

There is general agreement that the future production of electric energy has to be renewable and sustainable in the long term. Photovoltaic (PV) is booming with more than 7GW produced in 2008 and will therefore play an important role in the future electricity supply mix. Currently, crystalline silicon (c-Si) dominates the market with a share of about 90%. Reducing the cost per watt peak and energy pay back time of PV was the major concern of the last decade and remains the main challenge today. For that, thin film silicon solar cells has a strong potential because it allies the strength of c-Si (i.e. durability, abundancy, non toxicity) together with reduced material usage, lower temperature processes and monolithic interconnection. One of the technological key points is the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) used for front contact, barrier layer or intermediate reflector. In this paper, we report on the versatility of ZnO grown by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (ZnO LP-CVD) and its application in thin film silicon solar cells. In particular, we focus on the transparency, the morphology of the textured surface and its effects on the light in-coupling for micromorph tandem cells in both the substrate (n-i-p) and superstrate (p-i-n) configurations. The stabilized efficiencies achieved in Neuchâtel are 11.2% and 9.8% for p-i-n (without ARC) and n-i-p (plastic substrate), respectively.

Defect characterization and magnetic properties in un-doped ZnO thin film annealed in a strong magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Shuai; Zhan, Peng; Wang, Wei-Peng; Li, Zheng-Cao; Zhang, Zheng-Jun

2014-12-01

Highly c-axis oriented un-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, each with a thickness of ~ 100 nm, are deposited on Si (001) substrates by pulsed electron beam deposition at a temperature of ~ 320 °C, followed by annealing at 650 °C in argon in a strong magnetic field. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), positron annihilation analysis (PAS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) characterizations suggest that the major defects generated in these ZnO films are oxygen vacancies. Photoluminescence (PL) and magnetic property measurements indicate that the room-temperature ferromagnetism in the un-doped ZnO film originates from the singly ionized oxygen vacancies whose number depends on the strength of the magnetic field applied in the thermal annealing process. The effects of the magnetic field on the defect generation in the ZnO films are also discussed.

Effect of copper doping sol-gel ZnO thin films: physical properties and sensitivity to ethanol vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boukaous, Chahra; Benhaoua, Boubaker; Telia, Azzedine; Ghanem, Salah

2017-10-01

In the present paper, the effect of copper doping ZnO thin films, deposited using a sol-gel dip-coating technique, on the structural, optical and ethanol vapor-sensing properties, was investigated. The range of the doping content is 0 wt. %-5 wt. % Cu/Zn and the films’ properties were studied using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The obtained results indicated that undoped and copper-doped zinc oxide thin films have polycrystalline wurtzite structure with (1 0 1) preferred orientation. All samples have a smooth and dense structure free of pinholes. A decrease in the band gap with Cu concentration in the ZnO network was observed. The influence of the dopant on ethanol vapor-sensing properties shows an increase in the film sensitivity to the ethanol vapor within the Cu concentration.

Effect of temperature on NH3 sensing by ZnO: Mg thin film grown by radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinoth, E.; Gopalakrishnan, N.

2018-04-01

Undoped and Mg doped (at l0 mol %) ZnO thin films have been grown on glass substrates by using the RF magnetron sputtering. The structural properties of the fabricated thin films were studied by X-ray diffraction analysis and it was found hexagonal wurtzite phase and preferential orientation along (002) of both films. Green Band Emission peaks in the Photoluminescence spectra confirm the structural defects such as oxygen vacancies (Vo) in the films. Uniform distribution of spherical shape morphology of grains observed in the both films by FESEM. However, the growth of grains was found in the Mg doped thin film. The temperature dependent ammonia sensing is done by the indigenously made gas sensing setup. The gas response of the both films was increased as the temperature increases, attains maximum at 75° C and then decreases. Response and recovery time measurementswere donefor boththe films and it shows the fast response time and quick recovery for doped thin film compared to the pure ZnO thin film.

Effect of Co doping concentration on structural properties and optical parameters of Co-doped ZnO thin films by sol-gel dip-coating method.

PubMed

Nam, Giwoong; Yoon, Hyunsik; Kim, Byunggu; Lee, Dong-Yul; Kim, Jong Su; Leem, Jae-Young

2014-11-01

The structural and optical properties of Co-doped ZnO thin films prepared by a sol-gel dip-coating method were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the thin films were grown with a c-axis preferred orientation. The position of the (002) peak was almost the same in all samples, irrespective of the Co concentration. It is thus clear that Co doping had little effect on the position of the (002) peak. To confirm that Co2+ was substituted for Zn2+ in the wurtzite structure, optical measurements were conducted at room temperature by a UV-visible spectrometer. Three absorption peaks are apparent in the Co-doped ZnO thin films that do not appear for the undoped ZnO thin film. As the Co concentration was increased, absorption related to characteristic Co2+ transitions increased because three absorption band intensities and the area underneath the absorption wells between 500 and 700 nm increased with increasing Co concentration. The optical band gap and static dielectric constant decreased and the Urbach energy and extinction coefficient increased with increasing Co concentration.

Synthesis, structure, vapour pressure and deposition of ZnO thin film by plasma assisted MOCVD technique using a novel precursor bis[(pentylnitrilomethylidine) (pentylnitrilomethylidine-μ-phenalato)]dizinc(II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrakala, C.; Sravanthi, P.; Raj Bharath, S.; Arockiasamy, S.; George Johnson, M.; Nagaraja, K. S.; Jeyaraj, B.

2017-02-01

A novel binuclear zinc schiff's base complex bis[(pentylnitrilomethylidine)(pentylnitrilomethylidine-μ-phenalato)]dizinc(II) (hereafter referred as ZSP) was prepared and used as a precursor for the deposition of ZnO thin film by MOCVD. The dynamic TG run of ZSP showed sufficient volatility and good thermal stability. The temperature dependence of vapour pressure measured by transpiration technique yielded a value of 55.8 ± 2.3 kJ mol-1 for the enthalpy of sublimation (ΔH°sub) in the temperature range of 423-503 K. The crystal structure of ZSP was solved by single crystal XRD which exhibits triclinic crystal system with the space group of Pī. The molecular mass of ZSP was determined by mass spectrometry which yielded the m/z value of 891 and 445 Da corresponding to its dimeric as well as monomeric form. The complex ZSP was further characterized by FT-IR and NMR. The demonstration of ZnO thin film deposition was carried out by using plasma assisted MOCVD. The thin film XRD confirmed the highly oriented (002) ZnO thin films on Si(100) substrate. The uniformity and composition of the thin film were analyzed by SEM/EDX. The band gap of ZnO thin film measurement indicated the blue shift with the value of 3.79 eV.

Evidence of extended cation solubility in atomic layer deposited nanocrystalline BaTiO3 thin films and its strong impact on the electrical properties.

PubMed

Falmbigl, Matthias; Karateev, Igor A; Golovina, Iryna S; Plokhikh, Aleksandr V; Parker, Thomas C; Vasiliev, Alexander L; Spanier, Jonathan E

2018-06-22

Thin films of ≈50 nm thickness with Ba/Ti-ratios ranging from 0.8 to 1.06 were prepared by depositing alternating layers of Ba(OH)2 and TiO2. Annealing at 750 °C promoted the solid-solid transformation into polycrystalline BaTiO3 films containing a mixture of the perovskite and the hexagonal polymorphs with average crystallite sizes smaller than 14 nm and without impurity phases. This, together with an increase of the cubic lattice parameters for Ba-rich films, suggests an extended metastable solubility range for the perovskite-phase in these nanocrystalline thin films on both sides of the stoichiometric composition. Mapping of the cation distribution utilizing energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy corroborates defect accommodation within the BaTiO3 grains. While the cation off-stoichiometry in thermodynamic equilibrium is negligible for BaTiO3, the metastable extended solubility range in the thin films can be directly correlated to the low annealing temperature and nanocrystalline nature. The leakage current behavior can be explained by the formation of Schottky defects for nonstoichiometric films, and the cation ratio has a distinct impact on the dielectric properties: while excess-BaO has a marginal detrimental effect on the permittivity, the dielectric constant declines rapidly by more than 50% towards the Ti-rich side. The present findings highlight the importance of compositional control for the synthesis of nanocrystalline BaTiO3 thin films, in particular for low annealing and/or deposition temperatures. Our synthesis approach using alternating layers of Ba(OH)2 and TiO2 provides a route to precisely control the cation stoichiometry.

Growth process optimization of ZnO thin film using atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Binbin; Wang, Jingyu; Larson, Preston; Liu, Yingtao

2016-12-01

The work reports experimental studies of ZnO thin films grown on Si(100) wafers using a customized thermal atomic layer deposition. The impact of growth parameters including H2O/DiethylZinc (DEZn) dose ratio, background pressure, and temperature are investigated. The imaging results of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal that the dose ratio is critical to the surface morphology. To achieve high uniformity, the H2O dose amount needs to be at least twice that of DEZn per each cycle. If the background pressure drops below 400 mTorr, a large amount of nanoflower-like ZnO grains would emerge and increase surface roughness significantly. In addition, the growth temperature range between 200 °C and 250 °C is found to be the optimal growth window. And the crystal structures and orientations are also strongly correlated to the temperature as proved by electron back-scattering diffraction and x-ray diffraction results.

X-ray diffraction analysis of residual stresses in textured ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobročka, E.; Novák, P.; Búc, D.; Harmatha, L.; Murín, J.

2017-02-01

Residual stresses are commonly generated in thin films during the deposition process and can influence the film properties. Among a number of techniques developed for stress analysis, X-ray diffraction methods, especially the grazing incidence set-up, are of special importance due to their capability to analyze the stresses in very thin layers as well as to investigate the depth variation of the stresses. In this contribution a method combining multiple {hkl} and multiple χ modes of X-ray diffraction stress analysis in grazing incidence set-up is used for the measurement of residual stress in strongly textured ZnO thin films. The method improves the precision of the stress evaluation in textured samples. Because the measurements are performed at very low incidence angles, the effect of refraction of X-rays on the measured stress is analyzed in details for the general case of non-coplanar geometry. It is shown that this effect cannot be neglected if the angle of incidence approaches the critical angle. The X-ray stress factors are calculated for hexagonal fiber-textured ZnO for the Reuss model of grain-interaction and the effect of texture on the stress factors is analyzed. The texture in the layer is modelled by Gaussian distribution function. Numerical results indicate that in the process of stress evaluation the Reuss model can be replaced by much simpler crystallite group method if the standard deviation of Gaussian describing the texture is less than 6°. The results can be adapted for fiber-textured films of various hexagonal materials.

Enhanced electrical properties of dual-layer channel ZnO thin film transistors prepared by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Huijin; Han, Dedong; Dong, Junchen; Yu, Wen; Liang, Yi; Luo, Zhen; Zhang, Shengdong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2018-05-01

The thin film transistors (TFTs) with a dual-layer channel structure combing ZnO thin layer grown at 200 °C and ZnO film grown at 120 °C by atomic layer deposition are fabricated. The dual-layer channel TFT exhibits a low leakage current of 2.8 × 10-13 A, Ion/Ioff ratio of 3.4 × 109, saturation mobility μsat of 12 cm2 V-1 s-1, subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.25 V/decade. The SS value decreases to 0.18 V/decade after the annealing treatment in O2 due to the reduction of the trap states at the channel/dielectric interface and in the bulk channel layer. The enhanced performance obtained from the dual-layer channel TFTs is due to the ability of maintaining high mobility and suppressing the increase in the off-current at the same time.

Surface nanostructuring of thin film composite membranes via grafting polymerization and incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isawi, Heba; El-Sayed, Magdi H.; Feng, Xianshe; Shawky, Hosam; Abdel Mottaleb, Mohamed S.

2016-11-01

A new approach for modification of polyamid thin film composite membrane PA(TFC) using synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was shown to enhance the membrane performances for reverse osmosis water desalination. First, active layer of synthesis PA(TFC) membrane was activated with an aqueous solution of free radical graft polymerization of hydrophilic methacrylic acid (MAA) monomer onto the surface of the PA(TFC) membrane resulting PMAA-g-PA(TFC). Second, the PA(TFC) membrane has been developed by incorporation of ZnO NPs into the MAA grafting solution resulting the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane. The surface properties of the synthesized nanoparticles and prepared membranes were investigated using the FTIR, XRD and SEM. Morphology studies demonstrated that ZnO NPs have been successfully incorporated into the active grafting layer over PA(TFC) composite membranes. The zinc leaching from the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was minimal, as shown by batch tests that indicated stabilization of the ZnO NPs on the membrane surfaces. Compared with the a pure PA(TFC) and PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membranes, the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was more hydrophilic, with an improved water contact angle (∼50 ± 3°) over the PMAA-g-PA(TFC) (63 ± 2.5°). The ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane showed salt rejection of 97% (of the total groundwater salinity), 99% of dissolved bivalent ions (Ca2+, SO42-and Mg2+), and 98% of mono valent ions constituents (Cl- and Na+). In addition, antifouling performance of the membranes was determined using E. coli as a potential foulant. This demonstrates that the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane can significantly improve the membrane performances and was favorable to enhance the selectivity, permeability, water flux, mechanical properties and the bio-antifouling properties of the membranes for water desalination.

Cation vacancies and electrical compensation in Sb-doped thin-film SnO2 and ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korhonen, E.; Prozheeva, V.; Tuomisto, F.; Bierwagen, O.; Speck, J. S.; White, M. E.; Galazka, Z.; Liu, H.; Izyumskaya, N.; Avrutin, V.; Özgür, Ü.; Morkoç, H.

2015-02-01

We present positron annihilation results on Sb-doped SnO2 and ZnO thin films. The vacancy types and the effect of vacancies on the electrical properties of these intrinsically n-type transparent semiconducting oxides are studied. We find that in both materials low and moderate Sb-doping leads to formation of vacancy clusters of variable sizes. However, at high doping levels cation vacancy defects dominate the positron annihilation signal. These defects, when at sufficient concentrations, can efficiently compensate the n-type doping produced by Sb. This is the case in ZnO, but in SnO2 the concentrations appear too low to cause significant compensation.

Synthesis and properties of nanocrystalline copper indium oxide thin films deposited by Rf magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Singh, Mandeep; Singh, V N; Mehta, B R

2008-08-01

Nanocrystalline copper indium oxide (CuInO2) thin films with particle size ranging from 25 nm to 71 nm have been synthesized from a composite target using reactive Rf magnetron sputtering technique. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) combined with glancing angle X-ray diffraction (GAXRD) analysis confirmed the presence of delafossite CuInO2 phase in these films. The optical absorption studies show the presence of two direct band gaps at 3.3 and 4.3 eV, respectively. The resistance versus temperature measurements show thermally activated hopping with activation energy of 0.84 eV to be the conduction mechanism.

Effect of film thickness on NO2 gas sensing properties of sprayed orthorhombic nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mane, A. A.; Moholkar, A. V.

2017-09-01

The nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films with different thicknesses have been grown onto the glass substrates using chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP) deposition method. The XRD study shows that the films exhibit an orthorhombic crystal structure. The narrow scan X-ray photoelectron spectrum of V-2p core level doublet gives the binding energy difference of 7.3 eV, indicating that the V5+ oxidation state of vanadium. The FE-SEM micrographs show the formation of nanorods-like morphology. The AFM micrographs show the high surface area to volume ratio of nanocrystalline V2O5 thin films. The optical study gives the band gap energy values of 2.41 eV, 2.44 eV, 2.47 eV and 2.38 eV for V2O5 thin films deposited with the thicknesses of 423 nm, 559 nm, 694 nm and 730 nm, respectively. The V2O5 film of thickness 559 nm shows the NO2 gas response of 41% for 100 ppm concentration at operating temperature of 200 °C with response and recovery times of 20 s and 150 s, respectively. Further, it shows the rapid response and reproducibility towards 10 ppm NO2 gas concentration at 200 °C. Finally, NO2 gas sensing mechanism based on chemisorption process is discussed.

Different magnetic origins of (Mn, Fe)-codoped ZnO powders and thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fan, Jiuping; Jiang, Fengxian; Quan, Zhiyong

2012-11-15

Graphical abstract: The effects of the sample forms, fabricated methods, and process conditions on the structural and magnetic properties of (Mn, Fe)-codoped ZnO powders and films were systematically studied. The origins of ferromagnetism in the vacuum-annealed powder and PLD-deposited film are different. The former originates from the impurities of magnetic clusters, whereas the latter comes from the almost homogenous phase. Highlights: ► The magnetic natures of Zn{sub 0.98}Mn{sub 0.01}Fe{sub 0.01}O powders and thin films come from different origins. ► The ferromagnetism of the powder is mainly from the contribution of magnetic clusters. ► Whereas the ferromagnetic behavior of the filmmore » comes from the almost homogenous phase. -- Abstract: The structural and magnetic properties of (Mn, Fe)-codoped ZnO powders as well as thin films were investigated. The X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements indicated that the higher sintering temperature facilitates more Mn and Fe incorporation into ZnO. Magnetic measurements indicated that the powder sintered in air at 800 °C showed paramagnetic, but it exhibited obvious room temperature ferromagnetism after vacuum annealing at 600 °C. The results revealed that magnetic clusters were the major contributors to the observed ferromagnetism in vacuum-annealed Zn{sub 0.98}Mn{sub 0.01}Fe{sub 0.01}O powder. Interestingly, the room temperature ferromagnetism was also observed in the Zn{sub 0.98}Mn{sub 0.01}Fe{sub 0.01}O film deposited via pulsed laser deposition from the air-sintered paramagnetic target, but the secondary phases in the film were not detected from X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and zero-field cooling and field cooling. Apparently, the magnetic natures of powders and films come from different origins.« less

Growth of pure ZnO thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayouchi, R.; Martin, F.; Leinen, D.; Ramos-Barrado, J. R.

2003-01-01

Structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis from zinc acetate (Zn(CH 3COO) 2 2H 2O) aqueous solutions, on polished Si(1 0 0), and fused silica substrates for optical characterization, have been studied in terms of deposition time and substrate temperature. The growth of the films present three regimes depending on the substrate temperature, with increasing, constant and decreasing growth rates at lower, middle, and higher-temperature ranges, respectively. Growth rate higher than 15 nm min -1 can be achieved at Ts=543 K. ZnO film morphological and electrical properties have been related to these growth regimes. The films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Preparation of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Thin Film as Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) from Zinc Complex Compound on Thin Film Solar Cells: A Study of O2 Effect on Annealing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muslih, E. Y.; Kim, K. H.

2017-07-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) for thin film solar cell application was successfully prepared through two step preparations which consisted of deposition by spin coating at 2000 rpm for 10 second and followed by annealing at 500 °C for 2 hours under O2 and ambient atmosphere. Zinc acetate dehydrate was used as a precursor which dissolved in ethanol and acetone (1:1 mol) mixture in order to make a zinc complex compound. In this work, we reported the O2 effect, reaction mechanism, structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties. ZnO thin film in this work shows a single phase of wurtzite, with n-type semiconductor and has band gap, carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity as 3.18 eV, 1.21 × 10-19cm3, 11 cm2/Vs, 2.35 × 10-3 Ωcm respectively which is suitable for TCO at thin film solar cell.

Stable and High-Performance Flexible ZnO Thin-Film Transistors by Atomic Layer Deposition.

PubMed

Lin, Yuan-Yu; Hsu, Che-Chen; Tseng, Ming-Hung; Shyue, Jing-Jong; Tsai, Feng-Yu

2015-10-14

Passivation is a challenging issue for the oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) technologies because it requires prolonged high-temperature annealing treatments to remedy defects produced in the process, which greatly limits its manufacturability as well as its compatibility with temperature-sensitive materials such as flexible plastic substrates. This study investigates the defect-formation mechanisms incurred by atomic layer deposition (ALD) passivation processes on ZnO TFTs, based on which we demonstrate for the first time degradation-free passivation of ZnO TFTs by a TiO2/Al2O3 nanolaminated (TAO) film deposited by a low-temperature (110 °C) ALD process. By combining the TAO passivation film with ALD dielectric and channel layers into an integrated low-temperature ALD process, we successfully fabricate flexible ZnO TFTs on plastics. Thanks to the exceptional gas-barrier property of the TAO film (water vapor transmission rate (WVTR)<10(-6) g m(-2) day(-1)) as well as the defect-free nature of the ALD dielectric and ZnO channel layers, the TFTs exhibit excellent device performance with high stability and flexibility: field-effect mobility>20 cm2 V(-1) s(-1), subthreshold swing<0.4 V decade(-1) after extended bias-stressing (>10,000 s), air-storage (>1200 h), and bending (1.3 cm radius for 1000 times).

Synthesis of ZnO Nanocrystal-Graphene Composite by Mechanical Milling and Sonication-Assisted Exfoliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, Sweety; Srivastava, Chandan

2017-02-01

A ZnO nanocrystal-graphene composite was synthesized by a two-step method involving mechanical milling and sonication-assisted exfoliation. Zn metal powder was first ball-milled with graphite powder for 30 h in water medium. This ball-milled mixture was then subjected to exfoliation by sonication in the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate surfactant to produce graphene decorated with spherical agglomerates of ultrafine nanocrystalline ZnO. The presence of a few layers of graphene was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements. The size, phase identity and composition of the ZnO nanocrystals was determined by transmission electron microscopy measurements.

Analysis of stability improvement in ZnO thin film transistor with dual-gate structure under negative bias stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Ho-Jin; Kim, Young-Su; Jeong, Kwang-Seok; Kim, Yu-Mi; Yang, Seung-dong; Lee, Hi-Deok; Lee, Ga-Won

2014-01-01

In this study, we fabricated dual-gate zinc oxide thin film transistors (ZnO TFTs) without additional processes and analyzed their stability characteristics under a negative gate bias stress (NBS) by comparison with conventional bottom-gate structures. The dual-gate device shows superior electrical parameters, such as subthreshold swing (SS) and on/off current ratio. NBS of VGS = -20 V with VDS = 0 was applied, resulting in a negative threshold voltage (Vth) shift. After applying stress for 1000 s, the Vth shift is 0.60 V in a dual-gate ZnO TFT, while the Vth shift is 2.52 V in a bottom-gate ZnO TFT. The stress immunity of the dual-gate device is caused by the change in field distribution in the ZnO channel by adding another gate as the technology computer aided design (TCAD) simulation shows. Additionally, in flicker noise analysis, a lower noise level with a different mechanism is observed in the dual-gate structure. This can be explained by the top side of the ZnO film having a larger crystal and fewer grain boundaries than the bottom side, which is revealed by the enhanced SS and XRD results. Therefore, the improved stability of the dual-gate ZnO TFT is greatly related to the E-field cancellation effect and crystal quality of the ZnO film.

Alternate deposition and hydrogen doping technique for ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myong, Seung Yeop; Lim, Koeng Su

2006-08-01

We propose an alternate deposition and hydrogen doping (ADHD) technique for polycrystalline hydrogen-doped ZnO thin films, which is a sublayer-by-sublayer deposition based on metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and mercury-sensitized photodecomposition of hydrogen doping gas. Compared to conventional post-deposition hydrogen doping, the ADHD process provides superior electrical conductivity, stability, and surface roughness. Photoluminescence spectra measured at 10 K reveal that the ADHD technique improves ultraviolet and violet emissions by suppressing the green and yellow emissions. Therefore, the ADHD technique is shown to be very promising aid to the manufacture of improved transparent conducting electrodes and light emitting materials.

Sputtered deposited nanocrystalline ZnO films: A correlation between electrical, optical and microstructural properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Gao, W.; Li, Z.; Hodgson, M.; Metson, J.; Gong, H.; Pal, U.

2005-05-01

Zinc oxide thin films were prepared by dc (direct current) and rf (radio frequency) magnetron sputtering on glass substrates. ZnO films produced by dc sputtering have a high resistance, while the films produced using rf sputtering are significantly more conductive. While the conductive films have a compact nodular surface morphology, the resistive films have a relatively porous surface with columnar structures in cross section. Compared to the dc sputtered films, rf sputtered films have a microstructure with smaller d spacing, lower internal stress, higher band gap energy and higher density. Dependence of conductivity on the deposition technique and the resulting d spacing , stress, density, band gap, film thickness and Al doping are discussed. Correlations between the electrical conductivity, microstructural parameters and optical properties of the films have been made.

Determination of dispersive optical constants of nanocrystalline CdSe (nc-CdSe) thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, Kriti; Al-Kabbi, Alaa S.; Saini, G.S.S.

2012-06-15

Highlights: ► nc-CdSe thin films are prepared by thermal vacuum evaporation technique. ► TEM analysis shows NCs are spherical in shape. ► XRD reveals the hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure of nc-CdSe thin films. ► The direct optical bandgap of nc-CdSe is 2.25 eV in contrast to bulk (1.7 eV). ► Dispersion of refractive index is discussed in terms of Wemple–DiDomenico single oscillator model. -- Abstract: The nanocrystalline thin films of CdSe are prepared by thermal evaporation technique at room temperature. These thin films are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-raymore » diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The transmission spectra are recorded in the transmission range 400–3300 nm for nc-CdSe thin films. Transmittance measurements are used to calculate the refractive index (n) and absorption coefficient (α) using Swanepoel's method. The optical band gap (E{sub g}{sup opt}) has been determined from the absorption coefficient values using Tauc's procedure. The optical constants such as extinction coefficient (k), real (ε{sub 1}) and imaginary (ε{sub 2}) dielectric constants, dielectric loss (tan δ), optical conductivity (σ{sub opt}), Urbach energy (E{sub u}) and steepness parameter (σ) are also calculated for nc-CdSe thin films. The normal dispersion of refractive index is described using Wemple–DiDomenico single-oscillator model. Refractive index dispersion is further analysed to calculate lattice dielectric constant (ε{sub L}).« less

Rietveld-refinement and optical study of the Fe doped ZnO thin film by RF magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Arun; Dhiman, Pooja; Singh, M.

2017-05-01

Fe Doped ZnO Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor thin film prepared by RF magnetron sputtering on glass substrate and Influence of 3% Fe-doping on structural and Optical properties has been studied. The Rietveld-refinement analysis shows that Fe doping has a significant effect on crystalline structure, grain size and strain in the thin film. Two dimensional and three-dimensional atom probe tomography of the thin film shows that Fe ions are randomly distributed which is supported by Xray Diffraction (XRD). Fe-doping is found to effectively modify the band gap energy up to 3.5 eV.

Domain matched epitaxial growth of (111) Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3} thin films on (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} with ZnO buffer layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krishnaprasad, P. S., E-mail: pskrishnaprasu@gmail.com, E-mail: mkj@cusat.ac.in; Jayaraj, M. K., E-mail: pskrishnaprasu@gmail.com, E-mail: mkj@cusat.ac.in; Antony, Aldrin

2015-03-28

Epitaxial (111) Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3} (BST) thin films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition on (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrate with ZnO as buffer layer. The x-ray ω-2θ, Φ-scan and reciprocal space mapping indicate epitaxial nature of BST thin films. The domain matched epitaxial growth of BST thin films over ZnO buffer layer was confirmed using Fourier filtered high resolution transmission electron microscope images of the film-buffer interface. The incorporation of ZnO buffer layer effectively suppressed the lattice mismatch and promoted domain matched epitaxial growth of BST thin films. Coplanar inter digital capacitors fabricated on epitaxial (111) BSTmore » thin films show significantly improved tunable performance over polycrystalline thin films.« less

Gate insulator effects on the electrical performance of ZnO thin film transistor on a polyethersulphone substrate.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Kyu; Choi, Duck-Kyun

2012-07-01

Low temperature processing for fabrication of transistor backplane is a cost effective solution while fabrication on a flexible substrate offers a new opportunity in display business. Combination of both merits is evaluated in this investigation. In this study, the ZnO thin film transistor on a flexible Polyethersulphone (PES) substrate is fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering. Since the selection and design of compatible gate insulator is another important issue to improve the electrical properties of ZnO TFT, we have evaluated three gate insulator candidates; SiO2, SiNx and SiO2/SiNx. The SiO2 passivation on both sides of PES substrate prior to the deposition of ZnO layer was effective to enhance the mechanical and thermal stability. Among the fabricated devices, ZnO TFT employing SiNx/SiO2 stacked gate exhibited the best performance. The device parameters of interest are extracted and the on/off current ratio, field effect mobility, threshold voltage and subthreshold swing are 10(7), 22 cm2/Vs, 1.7 V and 0.4 V/decade, respectively.

Effect of precursor on epitaxially grown of ZnO thin film on p-GaN/sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrate by hydrothermal technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sahoo, Trilochan; Ju, Jin-Woo; Kannan, V.

2008-03-04

Single crystalline ZnO thin film on p-GaN/sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrate, using two different precursors by hydrothermal route at a temperature of 90 deg. C were successfully grown. The effect of starting precursor on crystalline nature, surface morphology and optical emission of the films were studied. ZnO thin films were grown in aqueous solution of zinc acetate and zinc nitrate. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all the thin films were single crystalline in nature and exhibited wurtzite symmetry and c-axis orientation. The thin films obtained with zinc nitrate had a more pitted rough surface morphology compared to the filmmore » grown in zinc acetate. However the thickness of the films remained unaffected by the nature of the starting precursor. Sharp luminescence peaks were observed from the thin films almost at identical energies but deep level emission was slightly prominent for the thin film grown in zinc nitrate.« less

Structural characterization of ZnO thin films grown on various substrates by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novotný, M.; Čížek, J.; Kužel, R.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J.; Connolly, J.; McCarthy, E.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Mosnier, J.-P.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.

2012-06-01

ZnO thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on three different substrates: sapphire (0 0 0 1), MgO (1 0 0) and fused silica (FS). The structure and morphology of the films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and defect studies were carried out using slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS). Films deposited on all substrates studied in this work exhibit the wurtzite ZnO structure and are characterized by an average crystallite size of 20-100 nm. However, strong differences in the microstructure of films deposited on various substrates were found. The ZnO films deposited on MgO and sapphire single-crystalline substrates exhibit local epitaxy, i.e. a well-defined relation between film crystallites and the substrate. Domains with different orientation relationships with the substrate were found in both films. On the other hand, the film deposited on the FS substrate exhibits fibre texture with random lateral orientation of crystallites. Extremely high compressive in-plane stress of σ ˜ 14 GPa was determined in the film deposited on the MgO substrate, while the film deposited on sapphire is virtually stress-free, and the film deposited on the FS substrate exhibits a tensile in-plane stress of σ ˜ 0.9 GPa. SPIS investigations revealed that the concentration of open-volume defects in the ZnO films is substantially higher than that in a bulk ZnO single crystal. Moreover, the ZnO films deposited on MgO and sapphire single-crystalline substrates exhibit a significantly higher density of defects than the film deposited on the amorphous FS substrate.

Effect of angle of deposition on the Fractal properties of ZnO thin film surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, R. P.; Agarwal, D. C.; Kumar, Manvendra; Rajput, Parasmani; Tomar, D. S.; Pandey, S. N.; Priya, P. K.; Mittal, A. K.

2017-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were prepared by atom beam sputtering at various deposition angles in the range of 20-75°. The deposited thin films were examined by glancing angle X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Scaling law analysis was performed on AFM images to show that the thin film surfaces are self-affine. Fractal dimension of each of the 256 vertical sections along the fast scan direction of a discretized surface, obtained from the AFM height data, was estimated using the Higuchi's algorithm. Hurst exponent was computed from the fractal dimension. The grain sizes, as determined by applying self-correlation function on AFM micrographs, varied with the deposition angle in the same manner as the Hurst exponent.

Structural, optical, morphological and electrical properties of undoped and Al-doped ZnO thin films prepared using sol—gel dip coating process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boukhenoufa, N.; Mahamdi, R.; Rechem, D.

2016-11-01

In this work, sol—gel dip-coating technique was used to elaborate ZnO pure and ZnO/Al films. The impact of Al-doped concentration on the structural, optical, surface morphological and electrical properties of the elaborated samples was investigated. It was found that better electrical and optical performances have been obtained for an Al concentration equal to 5%, where the ZnO thin films exhibit a resistivity value equal to 1.64104 Ω·cm. Moreover, highest transparency has been recorded for the same Al concentration value. The obtained results from this investigation make the developed thin film structure a potential candidate for high optoelectronic performance applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of High c-axis ZnO Thin Film by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition System and its UV Photodetector Application

PubMed Central

Chao, Chung-Hua; Wei, Da-Hua

2015-01-01

In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films with high c-axis (0002) preferential orientation have been successfully and effectively synthesized onto silicon (Si) substrates via different synthesized temperatures by using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. The effects of different synthesized temperatures on the crystal structure, surface morphologies and optical properties have been investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated that the intensity of (0002) diffraction peak became stronger with increasing synthesized temperature until 400 oC. The diffraction intensity of (0002) peak gradually became weaker accompanying with appearance of (10-10) diffraction peak as the synthesized temperature up to excess of 400 oC. The RT photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited a strong near-band-edge (NBE) emission observed at around 375 nm and a negligible deep-level (DL) emission located at around 575 nm under high c-axis ZnO thin films. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images revealed the homogeneous surface and with small grain size distribution. The ZnO thin films have also been synthesized onto glass substrates under the same parameters for measuring the transmittance. For the purpose of ultraviolet (UV) photodetector application, the interdigitated platinum (Pt) thin film (thickness ~100 nm) fabricated via conventional optical lithography process and radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. In order to reach Ohmic contact, the device was annealed in argon circumstances at 450 oC by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) system for 10 min. After the systematic measurements, the current-voltage (I-V) curve of photo and dark current and time-dependent photocurrent response results exhibited a good responsivity and reliability, indicating that the high c-axis ZnO thin film is a suitable sensing layer for UV photodetector application. PMID:26484561

Thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline Sb2Te3 thin films: experimental evaluation and first-principles calculation, addressing effect of crystal grain size.

PubMed

Morikawa, Satoshi; Inamoto, Takuya; Takashiri, Masayuki

2018-02-16

The effect of crystal grain size on the thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline antimony telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ) thin films was investigated by experiments and first-principles studies using a developed relaxation time approximation. The Sb 2 Te 3 thin films were deposited on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. To change the crystal grain size of the Sb 2 Te 3 thin films, thermal annealing was performed at different temperatures. The crystal grain size, lattice parameter, and crystal orientation of the thin films were estimated using XRD patterns. The carrier concentration and in-plane thermoelectric properties of the thin films were measured at room temperature. A theoretical analysis was performed using a first-principles study based on density functional theory. The electronic band structures of Sb 2 Te 3 were calculated using different lattice parameters, and the thermoelectric properties were predicted based on the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation. In particular, we introduced the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation by estimating the group velocities from the electronic band structures. Finally, the experimentally measured thermoelectric properties were compared with those obtained by calculation. As a result, the calculated thermoelectric properties were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, we can conclude that introducing the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation contributes to enhance the accuracy of a first-principles calculation relating to nanocrystalline materials.

Thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline Sb2Te3 thin films: experimental evaluation and first-principles calculation, addressing effect of crystal grain size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Satoshi; Inamoto, Takuya; Takashiri, Masayuki

2018-02-01

The effect of crystal grain size on the thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) thin films was investigated by experiments and first-principles studies using a developed relaxation time approximation. The Sb2Te3 thin films were deposited on glass substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. To change the crystal grain size of the Sb2Te3 thin films, thermal annealing was performed at different temperatures. The crystal grain size, lattice parameter, and crystal orientation of the thin films were estimated using XRD patterns. The carrier concentration and in-plane thermoelectric properties of the thin films were measured at room temperature. A theoretical analysis was performed using a first-principles study based on density functional theory. The electronic band structures of Sb2Te3 were calculated using different lattice parameters, and the thermoelectric properties were predicted based on the semi-classical Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation. In particular, we introduced the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation by estimating the group velocities from the electronic band structures. Finally, the experimentally measured thermoelectric properties were compared with those obtained by calculation. As a result, the calculated thermoelectric properties were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, we can conclude that introducing the effect of carrier scattering at the grain boundaries into the relaxation time approximation contributes to enhance the accuracy of a first-principles calculation relating to nanocrystalline materials.

Pulsed laser deposited hexagonal wurzite ZnO thin-film nanostructures/nanotextures for nanophotonics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

John Chelliah, Cyril Robinson Azariah; Swaminathan, Rajesh

2018-01-01

The high-quality and transparent thin-film zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures/nanotextures deposited on glass and silicon substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique are reported. A solid-state, Nd-YAG laser was used for the PLD process. The films were deposited (i) at room temperature of 25°C (as deposited), (ii) at 150°C, (iii) at 300°C, (iv) at 450°C, and (v) at 600°C and annealed in the vacuum chamber. The depositions were also carried out at different laser repetition rates such as 10 and 5 Hz. UV spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were carried out for optical studies. X-ray diffraction studies were carried out for all samples and analyzed the effects of the laser repetition rate, deposition, and annealing temperatures on the structural properties. Field-emission scanning electron microscope images are recorded for the best-structured samples. The electrical parameters were calibrated using the Hall effect measurement system and the IV characterization was performed using a CHI Electrochemical workstation. The deposition temperature has a significant effect on the microstrain and dislocation density of the ZnO thin film and optical phenomena with various electrical parameters, including the electron mobility, conductivity, and magnetoresistance. These promising results are suitable conditions for nanophotonics applications.

Band-Gap Engineering in ZnO Thin Films: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, Vani; Jha, Pardeep K.; Panda, S. K.; Jha, Priyanka A.; Singh, Prabhakar

2018-05-01

Zinc oxide thin films are synthesized and characterized using x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and optical spectroscopy. Our results reveal that the structural, morphological, and optical properties are closely related to the stress of the sample provided that the texture of the film remains the same. The anomalous results are obtained once the texture is altered to a different orientation. We support this experimental observation by carrying out first-principles hybrid functional calculations for two different orientations of the sample and show that the effect of quantum confinement is much stronger for the (100) surface than the (001) surface of ZnO. Furthermore, our calculations provide a route to enhance the band gap of ZnO by more than 50% compared to the bulk band gap, opening up possibilities for wide-range industrial applications.

Structural, optical, and LED characteristics of ZnO and Al doped ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandeep, K. M.; Bhat, Shreesha; Dharmaprakash, S. M.

2017-05-01

ZnO (pristine) and Al doped ZnO (AZO) films were prepared using sol-gel spin coating method. The XRD analysis showed the enhanced compressive stress in AZO film. The presence of extended states below the conduction band edge in AZO accounts for the redshift in optical bandgap. The PL spectra of AZO showed significant blue emission due to the carrier recombination from defect states. The TRPL curves showed the dominant DAP recombination in ZnO film, whereas defect related recombination in Al doped ZnO film. Color parameters viz: the dominant wavelength, color coordinates (x,y), color purity, luminous efficiency and correlated color temperature (CCT) of ZnO and AZO films are calculated using 1931 (CIE) diagram. Further, a strong blue emission with color purity more than 96% is observed in both the films. The enhanced blue emission in AZO significantly increased the luminous efficiency (22.8%) compared to ZnO film (10.8%). The prepared films may be used as blue phosphors in white light generation.

Electrodeposition and characterization of ZnO thin films using sodium thiosulfate as an additive for photovoltaic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahal, Hassiba; Kihal, Rafiaa; Affoune, Abed Mohamed; Ghers, Mokhtar; Djazi, Faycal

2017-06-01

Zinc oxide thin films have been grown by electrodeposition technique onto Cu and ITO-coated glass substrates from an aqueous zinc nitrate solution with addition of sodium thiosulfate at 90 °C. The effects of sodium thiosulfate on the electrochemical deposition of ZnO were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Deposited films were obtained at -0.60 V vs. SCE and characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, optical, photoelectrochemical and electrical measurements. Thickness of the deposited film was measured to be 357 nm. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the synthesized ZnO has a pure hexagonal wurtzite structure with a marked preferential orientation along (002) plane. FTIR results confirmed the presence of ZnO films at peak 558 cm-1. SEM images showed uniform, compact morphology without any cracks and films composed of large flower-like ZnO agglomerates with star-shape. Optical properties of ZnO reveal a high optical transmission (> 80 % ) and high absorption coefficient (α > {10}5 {{cm}}-1) in visible region. The optical energy band gap was found to be 3.28 eV. Photoelectrochemical measurements indicated that the ZnO films had n-type semiconductor conduction. Electrical properties of ZnO films showed a low electrical resistivity of 6.54 {{Ω }}\\cdot {cm}, carrier concentration of -1.3× {10}17 {{cm}}-3 and mobility of 7.35 cm2 V-1 s-1. Project supported by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Algeria (No. J0101520090018).

Performance analyses of Schottky diodes with Au/Pd contacts on n-ZnO thin films as UV detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varma, Tarun; Periasamy, C.; Boolchandani, Dharmendar

2017-12-01

In this paper, we report fabrication and performance analyses of UV detectors based on ZnO thin film Schottky diodes with Au and Pd contacts. RF magnetron sputtering technique has been used to deposit the nano-crystalline ZnO thin film, at room temperature. Characterization techniques such as XRD, AFM and SEM provided valuable information related to the micro-structural & optical properties of the thin film. The results show that the prepared thin film has good crystalline orientation and minimal surface roughness, with an optical bandgap of 3.1 eV. I-V and C-V characteristics were evaluated that indicate non-linear behaviour of the diodes with rectification ratios (IF/IR) of 19 and 427, at ± 4 V, for Au/ZnO and Pd/ZnO Schottky diodes, respectively. The fabricated Schottky diodes when exposed to a UV light of 365 nm wavelength, at an applied bias of -2 V, exhibited responsivity of 10.16 and 22.7 A/W, for Au and Pd Schottky contacts, respectively. The Pd based Schottky photo-detectors were found to exhibit better performance with superior values of detectivity and photoconductive gain of 1.95 × 1010 cm Hz0.5/W & 77.18, over those obtained for the Au based detectors which were observed to be 1.23 × 1010 cm Hz0.5/W & 34.5, respectively.

Effect of annealing on structure, morphology and optoelectronic properties of nanocrystalline CuO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jundale, D. M.; Pawar, S. G.; Patil, S. L.; Chougule, M. A.; Godse, P. R.; Patil, V. B.

2011-10-01

The nanocrystalline CuO thin films were prepared on glass substrates by the sol-gel method. The structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of CuO thin films, submitted to an annealing treatment in the 400-700 °C ranges are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Four Probe Technique and UV-visible spectroscopic. XRD measurements show that all the films are crystallized in the monoclinic phase and present a random orientation. Four prominent peaks, corresponding to the (110) phase (2θ≈32.70°), (002) phase (2θ≈35.70°), (111) phase (2θ≈38.76°) and (202) phase (2θ≈49.06°) appear on the diffractograms. The crystallite size increases with increasing annealing temperature. These modifications influence the microstructure, electrical and optical properties. The optical band gap energy decreases with increasing annealing temperature. These mean that the optical quality of CuO films is improved by annealing.

Characterization of ZnO nanoparticles grown in presence of Folic acid template

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background ZnO nanoparticles (grown in the template of folic acid) are biologically useful, luminescent material. It can be used for multifunctional purposes, e.g., as biosensor, bioimaging, targeted drug delivery and as growth promoting medicine. Methods Sol–gel chemical method was used to develop the uniform ZnO nanoparticles, in a folic acid template at room temperature and pH ~ 7.5. Agglomeration of the particles was prevented due to surface charge density of folic acid in the medium. ZnO nanoparticle was further characterized by different physical methods. Results Nanocrystalline, wurtzite ZnO particles thus prepared show interesting structural as well as band gap properties due to capping with folic acid. Conclusions A rapid, easy and chemical preparative method for the growth of ZnO nanoparticles with important surface physical properties is discussed. Emphatically, after capping with folic acid, its photoluminescence properties are in the visible region. Therefore, the same can be used for monitoring local environmental properties of biosystems. PMID:22788841

Effects of substrate on the structure and orientation of ZnO thin film grown by rf-magnetron sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, H. F.; Chua, S. J.; Hu, G. X.

2007-10-15

X-ray diffractions, Nomarski microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence have been used to study the effects of substrate on the structure and orientation of ZnO thin films grown by rf-magnetron sputtering. GaAs(001), GaAs(111), Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0002) (c-plane), and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(1102) (r-plane) wafers have been selected as substrates in this study. X-ray diffractions reveal that the ZnO film grown on GaAs(001) substrate is purely textured with a high c-axis orientation while that grown on GaAs(111) substrate is a single ZnO(0002) crystal; a polycrystalline structure with a large-single-crystal area of ZnO(0002) is obtained on a c-plane Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrate whilemore » a ZnO(1120) single crystal is formed on an r-plane Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrate. There is absence of significant difference between the photoluminescence spectra collected from ZnO/GaAs(001), ZnO/GaAs(111), and ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0002), while the photoluminescence from ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(1102) shows a reduced intensity together with an increased linewidth, which is, likely, due to the increased incorporation of native defects during the growth of ZnO(1120)« less

Temperature- and frequency-dependent dielectric behaviors of insulator/semiconductor (Al2O3/ZnO) nanolaminates with various ZnO thicknesses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jin; Bi, Xiaofang

2016-07-01

Al2O3/ZnO nanolaminates (NLs) with various ZnO sublayer thicknesses were prepared by atomic layer deposition. The Al2O3 sublayers are characterized as amorphous and the ZnO sublayers have an oriented polycrystalline structure. As the ZnO thickness decreases to a certain value, each NL exhibits a critical temperature at which its dielectric constant starts to rise quickly. Moreover, this temperature increases as the ZnO thickness is decreased further. On the other hand, the permittivity demonstrates a large value of several hundred at a frequency  ⩽1000 Hz, followed by a steplike decrease at a higher frequency. The change in the cut-off frequency with ZnO thickness is characterized by a hook function. It is revealed that the Coulomb confinement effect becomes predominant in the dielectric behaviors of the NLs with very thin ZnO. As the ZnO thickness decreases to about the same as or even smaller than the Bohr radius of ZnO, a great change in the carrier concentration and effective mass of ZnO is induced, which is shown to be responsible for the peculiar dielectric behaviors of Al2O3/ZnO with very thin ZnO. These findings provide insight into the prevailing mechanisms to optimize the dielectric properties of semiconductor/insulator laminates with nanoscale sublayer thickness.

Effect of Rapid Thermal Annealing on the Electrical Characteristics of ZnO Thin-Film Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remashan, Kariyadan; Hwang, Dae-Kue; Park, Seong-Ju; Jang, Jae-Hyung

2008-04-01

Thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a bottom-gate configuration were fabricated with an RF magnetron sputtered undoped zinc oxide (ZnO) channel layer and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) grown silicon nitride as a gate dielectric. Postfabrication rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and subsequent nitrous oxide (N2O) plasma treatment were employed to improve the performance of ZnO TFTs in terms of on-current and on/off current ratio. The RTA treatment increases the on-current of the TFT significantly, but it also increases its off-current. The off-current of 2×10-8 A and on/off current ratio of 3×103 obtained after the RTA treatment were improved to 10-10 A and 105, respectively, by the subsequent N2O plasma treatment. The better device performance can be attributed to the reduction of oxygen vacancies at the top region of the channel due to oxygen incorporation from the N2O plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the TFT samples showed that the RTA-treated ZnO surface has more oxygen vacancies than as-deposited samples, which results in the increased drain current. The XPS study also showed that the subsequent N2O plasma treatment reduces oxygen vacancies only at the surface of ZnO so that the better off-current and on/off current ratio can be obtained.

Effect of Li doping on the electric and pyroelectric properties of ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinca, L. M.; Galca, A. C.; Boni, A. G.; Botea, M.; Pintilie, L.

2018-01-01

Un-doped ZnO (UDZO) and Li-doped ZnO (LZO) polycrystalline thin films were grown on platinized silicon by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The electrical properties were investigated on as-grown and annealed UDZO and LZO films with capacitor configuration, using top and bottom platinum electrodes. In the case of the as-grown films it was found that the introduction of Li increases the resistivity of ZnO and induces butterfly shape in the C-V characteristic, suggesting ferroelectric-like behavior in LZO films. The properties of LZO samples does not significantly changes after thermal annealing while the properties of UDZO samples show significant changes upon annealing, manifested in a butterfly shape of the C-V characteristic and resistive-like switching. However, the butterfly shape disappears if long delay time is used in the C-V measurement, the characteristic remaining non-linear. Pyroelectric signal could be measured only on annealed films. Comparing the UDZO results with those obtained in the case of Li:ZnO, it was found that the pyroelectric properties are considerably enhanced by Li doping, leading to pyroelectric signal with about one order of magnitude larger at low modulation frequencies than for un-doped samples. Although the results of this study hint towards a ferroelectric-like behavior of Li doped ZnO, the presence of real ferroelectricity in this material remains controversial.

Structural studies of ZnO nanostructures by varying the deposition parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunus, S. H. A.; Sahdan, M. Z.; Ichimura, M.; Supee, A.; Rahim, S.

2017-01-01

The effect of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin film on the growth of ZnO nanorods (NRs) was investigated. The structures of ZnO NRs were synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method in aqueous solution of N2O6Zn.6H2O and C6H12N4 at 90°C of deposition temperature. One of the ZnO NRs samples was deposited on a ZnO seed layer coated on a glass substrate to investigate the properties of ZnO NRs without receiving effect of other materials. Next, for diode application, the ZnO NRs was deposited on tin monosulfide (SnS) coated on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate (SnS/ITO). The next, the ZnO structural properties were studied from surface morphology, X-ray diffractometer (XRD) spectra, and chemical composition by using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), XRD and energy dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The growth of ZnO NRs on ZnO seed layer was investigated by ZnO seed layer condition while the growth of ZnO NRs on SnS/ITO was investigated by deposition time and deposition temperature parameters. From FESEM images, aligned ZnO NRs were obtained, and the diameters of ZnO NRs were 0.024-3.94 µm. The SnS thin film was affected by the diameter of ZnO NRs which are the ZnO NRs grow on SnS thin films has a larger diameter compared to ZnO NRs grow on ZnO seed layer. Besides that, all of ZnO peaks observed from XRD corresponding to the wurzite structure and preferentially oriented along the c-axis. In addition, EDX shows a high composition of zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O) signals, which indicated that the NRs are indeed made up of Zn and O.

Development of Room Temperature Excitonic Lasing From ZnO and MgZnO Thin Film Based Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suja, Mohammad Zahir Uddin

Room temperature excitonic lasing is demonstrated and developed by utilizing metal-semiconductor-metal devices based on ZnO and MgZnO materials. At first, Cu-doped p-type ZnO films are grown on c-sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Photoluminescence (PL) experiments reveal a shallow acceptor state at 0.15 eV above the valence band edge. Hall effect results indicate that a growth condition window is found for the formation of p-type ZnO thin films and the best conductivity is achieved with a high hole concentration of 1.54x1018 cm-3, a low resistivity of 0.6 O cm and a moderate mobility of 6.65 cm2 V -1 s-1 at room temperature. Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitor devices have been fabricated on the Cu-doped ZnO films and the characteristics of capacitance-voltage measurements demonstrate that the Cu-doped ZnO thin films under proper growth conditions are p-type. Seebeck measurements on these Cu-doped ZnO samples lead to positive Seebeck coefficients and further confirm the p-type conductivity. Other measurements such as XRD, XPS, Raman and absorption are also performed to elucidate the structural and optical characteristics of the Cu-doped p-type ZnO films. The p-type conductivity is explained to originate from Cu substitution of Zn with a valency of +1 state. However, all p-type samples are converted to n-type over time, which is mostly due to the carrier compensation from extrinsic defects of ZnO. To overcome the stability issue of p-type ZnO film, alternate devices other than p-n junction has been developed. Electrically driven plasmon-exciton coupled random lasing is demonstrated by incorporating Ag nanoparticles on Cu-doped ZnO metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) devices. Both photoluminescence and electroluminescence studies show that emission efficiencies have been enhanced significantly due to coupling between ZnO excitons and Ag surface plasmons. With the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles on ZnO MSM structures, internal quantum

Effect of polyvinyl alcohol on electrochemically deposited ZnO thin films for DSSC applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marimuthu, T.; Anandhan, N.

2017-05-01

Nanostructures of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film are electrochemically deposited in the absence and presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of hexagonal structure of ZnO. The film prepared in the presence of PVA showed a better crystallinity and its crystalline growth along the (002) plane orientation. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images display nanowire arrays (NWAs) and sponge like morphology for films prepared in the absence and presence of PVA, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra depict the film prepared in the presence PVA having less atomic defects with good crystal quality compared with other film. Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is constructed using low cost eosin yellow dye and current-voltage (J-V) curve is recorded for optimized sponge like morphology based solar cell.

Growth of thin film containing high density ZnO nanorods with low temperature calcinated seed layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, Rudrashish; Samal, Rudranarayan; Khatua, Lizina; Das, Susanta Kumar

2018-05-01

In this work we demonstrate the growth of thin film containing high density ZnO nanorods by using drop casting of the seed layer calcinated at a low temperature of 132 °C. Chemical bath deposition (CBD) method is used to grow the nanorods. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) are performed for the structural and morphological characterizations of the nanorods. The average diameter and length of nanorods are found to be 33 nm and 270 nm respectively. The bandgap of the material is estimated to be 3.2 eV from the UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The reported method is much more cost-effective and can be used for growth of ZnO nanorods for various applications.

Efficiency of Nb-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuntahirunrat, Jirapat; Sung, Youl-Moon; Pooyodying, Pattarapon

2017-09-01

The technological of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) had been improved for several years. Due to its simplicity and low cost materials with belonging to the part of thin films solar cells. DSSCs have numerous advantages and benefits among the other types of solar cells. Many of the DSSC devices had use organic chemical that produce by specific method to use as thin film electrodes. The organic chemical that widely use to establish thin film electrodes are Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and many other chemical substances. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles had been used in DSSCs applications as thin film electrodes. Nanoparticles are a part of nanomaterials that are defined as a single particles 1-100 nm in diameter. From a few year ZnO widely used in DSSC applications because of its optical, electrical and many others properties. In particular, the unique properties and utility of ZnO structure. However the efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles based solar cells can be improved by doped various foreign impurity to change the structures and properties. Niobium (Nb) had been use as a dopant of metal oxide thin films. Using specification method to doped the ZnO nanoparticles thin film can improved the efficiencies of DSSCs. The efficiencies of Nb-doped ZnO can be compared by doping 0 at wt% to 5 at wt% in ZnO nanoparticles thin films that prepared by the spin coating method. The thin film electrodes doped with 3 at wt% represent a maximum efficiencies with the lowest resistivity of 8.95×10-4 Ω·cm.

TiN/Al2O3/ZnO gate stack engineering for top-gate thin film transistors by combination of post oxidation and annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Kimihiko; Matsui, Hiroaki; Tabata, Hitoshi; Takenaka, Mitsuru; Takagi, Shinichi

2018-04-01

Control of fabrication processes for a gate stack structure with a ZnO thin channel layer and an Al2O3 gate insulator has been examined for enhancing the performance of a top-gate ZnO thin film transistor (TFT). The Al2O3/ZnO interface and the ZnO layer are defective just after the Al2O3 layer formation by atomic layer deposition. Post treatments such as plasma oxidation, annealing after the Al2O3 deposition, and gate metal formation (PMA) are promising to improve the interfacial and channel layer qualities drastically. Post-plasma oxidation effectively reduces the interfacial defect density and eliminates Fermi level pinning at the Al2O3/ZnO interface, which is essential for improving the cut-off of the drain current of TFTs. A thermal effect of post-Al2O3 deposition annealing at 350 °C can improve the crystalline quality of the ZnO layer, enhancing the mobility. On the other hand, impacts of post-Al2O3 deposition annealing and PMA need to be optimized because the annealing can also accompany the increase in the shallow-level defect density and the resulting electron concentration, in addition to the reduction in the deep-level defect density. The development of the interfacial control technique has realized the excellent TFT performance with a large ON/OFF ratio, steep subthreshold characteristics, and high field-effect mobility.

Internal stress and opto-electronic properties of ZnO thin films deposited by reactive sputtering in various oxygen partial pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuyaerts, Romain; Poncelet, Olivier; Raskin, Jean-Pierre; Proost, Joris

2017-10-01

In this article, we propose ZnO thin films as a suitable material for piezoresistors in transparent and flexible electronics. ZnO thin films have been deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature at various oxygen partial pressures. All the films have a wurtzite structure with a strong (0002) texture measured by XRD and are almost stoichiometric as measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The effect of oxygen concentration on grain growth has been studied by in-situ multi-beam optical stress sensor, showing internal stress going from 350 MPa to -1.1 GPa. The transition between tensile and compressive stress corresponds to the transition between metallic and oxidized mode of reactive sputtering. This transition also induces a large variation in optical properties—from absorbent to transparent, and in the resistivity—from 4 × 10 - 2 Ω .cm to insulating. Finally, the piezoresistance of the thin film has been studied and showed a gauge factor (ΔR/R)/ɛ comprised between -5.8 and -8.5.

Optical Properties of ZnO-Alloyed Nanocrystalline Films

DOE PAGES

Che, Hui; Huso, Jesse; Morrison, John L.; ...

2012-01-01

ZnO is emore » merging as one of the materials of choice for UV applications. It has a deep excitonic energy level and a direct bandgap of ~3.4 eV. Alloying ZnO with certain atomic constituents adds new optical and electronic functionalities to ZnO. This paper presents research on M g x Z n 1 − x O and Z n S 1 − x O x nanocrystalline flexible films, which enable tunable optical properties in the deep-UV and in the visible range. The ZnO and Mg 0 .3 Zn 0 .7 O films were found to have bandgaps at 3.35 and 4.02 eV, respectively. The photoluminescence of the Mg 0 .3 Zn 0 .7 O exhibited a bandedge emission at 3.95 eV, and at lower energy 3.38 eV due to the limited solubility inherent to these alloys. ZnS 0 .76 O 0 .24 and ZnS 0 .16 O 0 .84 were found to have bandgaps at 3.21 and 2.65 eV, respectively. The effect of nitrogen doping on ZnS 0 .16 O 0 .84 is discussed in terms of the highly lattice mismatched nature of these alloys and the resulting valence-band modification.« less

Photoinduced Effects in the ZnO Luminescence Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akopyan, I. Kh.; Labzovskaya, M. E.; Novikov, B. V.; Lisachenko, A. A.; Serov, A. Yu.; Filosofov, N. G.

2018-02-01

The effect of intense UV irradiation on the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO powders and nanocrystalline films obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was investigated. At room temperature, the behavior of the spectra under continuous UV irradiation in multiple vacuum-atmosphere cycles was studied. The changes in the intensities of exciton radiation and radiation in the "green" band region, associated with the phenomena of oxygen photodesorption and photoadsorption, are discussed. In the temperature range of 5-300 K, the effect of strong UV irradiation on the near-edge luminescence spectrum of ZnO films was studied. The nature of a new line arising in the photoluminescence spectra of an irradiated film in the region of emission of bound excitons is discussed.

Vertical resistivity in nanocrystalline ZnO and amorphous InGaZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCandless, Jonathan P.; Leedy, Kevin D.; Schuette, Michael L.

2018-02-01

The goal is to gain additional insight into physical mechanisms and the role of microstructure on the formation of ohmic contacts and the reduction of contact resistance. We have measured a decreasing film resistivity in the vertical direction with increasing thickness of pulsed-laser deposited ZnO and IGZO. As the ZnO thickness increases from 122 nm to 441 nm, a reduction in resistivity from 3.29 Ω-cm to 0.364 Ω-cm occurred. The IGZO resistivity changes from 72.4 Ω-cm to 0.642 Ω-cm as the film is increased from 108nm to 219 nm. In the ZnO, the size of nanocolumnar grains increase with thickness resulting in fewer grain boundaries, and in the amorphous IGZO, the thicker region exhibits tunnel-like artifacts which may contribute to the reduced resistivity.

Influence of electron beam irradiation on nonlinear optical properties of Al doped ZnO thin films for optoelectronic device applications in the cw laser regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antony, Albin; Pramodini, S.; Poornesh, P.; Kityk, I. V.; Fedorchuk, A. O.; Sanjeev, Ganesh

2016-12-01

We present the studies on third-order nonlinear optical properties of Al doped ZnO thin films irradiated with electron beam at different dose rate. Al doped ZnO thin films were deposited on a glass substrate by spray pyrolysis deposition technique. The thin films were irradiated using the 8 MeV electron beam from microtron ranging from 1 kG y to 5 kG y. Nonlinear optical studies were carried out by employing the single beam Z-scan technique to determine the sign and magnitude of absorptive and refractive nonlinearities of the irradiated thin films. Continuous wave He-Ne laser operating at 633 nm was used as source of excitation. The open aperture Z-scan measurements indicated the sample displays reverse saturable absorption (RSA) process. The negative sign of the nonlinear refractive index n2 was noted from the closed aperture Z-scan measurements indicates, the films exhibit self-defocusing property due to thermal nonlinearity. The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ(3) varies from 8.17 × 10-5 esu to 1.39 × 10-3 esu with increase in electron beam irradiation. The present study reveals that the irradiation of electron beam leads to significant changes in the third-order optical nonlinearity. Al doped ZnO displays good optical power handling capability with optical clamping of about ∼5 mW. The irradiation study endorses that the Al doped ZnO under investigation is a promising candidate photonic device applications such as all-optical power limiting.

High-mobility low-temperature ZnO transistors with low-voltage operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bong, Hyojin; Lee, Wi Hyoung; Lee, Dong Yun; Kim, Beom Joon; Cho, Jeong Ho; Cho, Kilwon

2010-05-01

Low voltage high mobility n-type thin film transistors (TFTs) based on sol-gel processed zinc oxide (ZnO) were fabricated using a high capacitance ion gel gate dielectric. The ion gel gated solution-processed ZnO TFTs were found to exhibit excellent electrical properties. TFT carrier mobilities were 13 cm2/V s, ON/OFF current ratios were 105, regardless of the sintering temperature used for the preparation of the ZnO thin films. Ion gel gated ZnO TFTs are successfully demonstrated on plastic substrates for the large area flexible electronics.

Flexible pressure sensor based on graphene aerogel microstructures functionalized with CdS nanocrystalline thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plesco, Irina; Dragoman, Mircea; Strobel, Julian; Ghimpu, Lidia; Schütt, Fabian; Dinescu, Adrian; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Kienle, Lorenz; Adelung, Rainer; Tiginyanu, Ion

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report on functionalization of graphene aerogel with a CdS thin film deposited by magnetron sputtering and on the development of flexible pressure sensors based on ultra-lightweight CdS-aerogel nanocomposite. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis disclose the uniform deposition of nanocrystalline CdS films with quasi-stoichiometric composition. The piezoresistive response of the aforementioned nanocomposite in the pressure range from 1 to 5 atm is found to be more than one order of magnitude higher than that inherent to suspended graphene membranes, leading to an average sensitivity as high as 3.2 × 10-4 kPa-1.

Enhancement of the Ultraviolet Photoresponsivity of Al-doped ZnO Thin Films Prepared by using the Sol-gel Spin-coating Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Wookbin; Leem, Jae-Young

2018-03-01

We report the structural, morphological, optical, and ultraviolet (UV) photoresponse properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films prepared on silicon substrates with different Al doping concentrations by using the sol-gel spin-coating method. An analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns of the AZO thin films revealed that the average grain size decreased and the c-axis lattice constant increased with Al content. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy images showed that with Al doping, the grain size decreased, but the film density increased with increasing Al doping concentration from 0% to 3%. These results indicate that the surface area of the film increased with increasing Al doping. The absorbance spectra revealed that the UV absorbance of the AZO thin films increased with increasing Al doping concentration and that the absorption onset shifted towards lower energies. The photoluminescence spectra revealed that with increasing Al doping, the intensity of the visible emission greatly decreased and the visible emission peak shifted forward lower energy (a red shift). The UV sensor based on the AZO thin films exhibited a higher responsivity than that based on the undoped ZnO thin film. Therefore, this study provides a facile method for improving the photoresponsivity of UV sensors.

ZnO thin film transistor immunosensor with high sensitivity and selectivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, Pavel Ivanoff; Ku, Chieh-Jen; Duan, Ziqing; Lu, Yicheng; Solanki, Aniruddh; Lee, Ki-Bum

2011-04-01

A zinc oxide thin film transistor-based immunosensor (ZnO-bioTFT) is presented. The back-gate TFT has an on-off ratio of 108 and a threshold voltage of 4.25 V. The ZnO channel surface is biofunctionalized with primary monoclonal antibodies that selectively bind with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Detection of the antibody-antigen reaction is achieved through channel carrier modulation via pseudo double-gating field effect caused by the biochemical reaction. The sensitivity of 10 fM detection of pure EGFR proteins is achieved. The ZnO-bioTFT immunosensor also enables selectively detecting 10 fM of EGFR in a 5 mg/ml goat serum solution containing various other proteins.

Effects of Na Doping on Structural, Optical, and Electronic Properties of ZnO Thin Films Fabricated by Sol-Gel Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Heliang; Yao, Zhen; Xu, Cheng; Wang, Xinqiang; Yu, Zhichao

2018-04-01

Undoped and Na-doped ZnO thin films were fabricated by sol-gel technique on quartz glass substrates and annealed at 500°C for 1 h. The structural properties of the films were characterized using x-ray diffraction analysis, which revealed hexagonal wurtzite structure with no peaks corresponding to Na2O or other Na phases being found. Surface morphology observations by scanning electron microscopy revealed that the crystallite size and topographical properties of the ZnO films were influenced by the Na doping concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed presence of Na+ in ZnO regime. The transmittance spectra indicated that the average transmittance of Na-doped ZnO film was above 80% in the visible range, superior to that of the undoped film. There was a blue-shift in the ultraviolet absorption edge with increase of the Na content. Photoluminescence spectra illustrated two peaks, corresponding to ultraviolet near-band-edge and visible emission.

ZnO for solar cell and thermoelectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chuanle; Ghods, Amirhossein; Yunghans, Kelcy L.; Saravade, Vishal G.; Patel, Paresh V.; Jiang, Xiaodong; Kucukgok, Bahadir; Lu, Na; Ferguson, Ian

2017-03-01

ZnO-based materials show promise in energy harvesting applications, such as piezoelectric, photovoltaic and thermoelectric. In this work, ZnO-based vertical Schottky barrier solar cells were fabricated by MOCVD de- position of ZnO thin films on ITO back ohmic contact, while Ag served as the top Schottky contact. Various rapid thermal annealing conditions were studied to modify the carrier density and crystal quality. Greater than 200 nm thick ZnO films formed polycrystalline crystal structure, and were used to demonstrate Schottky solar cells. I-V characterizations of the devices showed photovoltaic performance, but but need further development. This is the first demonstration of vertical Schottky barrier solar cell based on wide bandgap ZnO film. Thin film and bulk ZnO grown by MOCVD or melt growth were also investigated in regards to their room- temperature thermoelectric properties. The Seebeck coefficient of bulk ZnO was found to be much larger than that of thin film ZnO at room temperature due to the higher crystal quality in bulk materials. The Seebeck coefficients decrease while the carrier concentration increases due to the crystal defects caused by the charge carriers. The co-doped bulk Zn0:96Ga0:02Al0:02O showed enhanced power factors, lower thermal conductivities and promising ZT values in the whole temperature range (300-1300 K).

Thermal conductivity of self-ion irradiated nanocrystalline zirconium thin films

DOE PAGES

Pulavarthy, Raghu; Wang, Baoming; Hattar, Khalid; ...

2017-07-15

Thermomechanical stability and high thermal conductivity are important for nuclear cladding material performance and reliability, which degrade over time under irradiation. The literature suggests nanocrystalline materials as radiation tolerant, but little or no evidence is present from thermal transport perspective. In this study, we irradiated 10 nm grain size zirconium thin films with 800 keV Zr + beam from a 6 MV HVE Tandem accelerator to achieve various doses of 3 × 10 10 to 3.26 × 10 14 ions/cm 2, corresponding to displacement per atom (dpa) of 2.1 × 10 –4 to 2.28. Transmission electron microscopy showed significant grainmore » growth, texture evolution and oxidation in addition to the creation of displacement defects due to the irradiation. The specimens were co-fabricated with micro-heaters to establish thermal gradients that were mapped using infrared thermometry. An energy balance approach was used to estimate the thermal conductivity of the specimens, as function of irradiation dosage. As a result, up to 32% reduction of thermal conductivity was measured for the sample exposed to a dose of 2.1 dpa (3 × 10 14 ions/cm 2).« less

Thermal conductivity of self-ion irradiated nanocrystalline zirconium thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pulavarthy, Raghu; Wang, Baoming; Hattar, Khalid

Thermomechanical stability and high thermal conductivity are important for nuclear cladding material performance and reliability, which degrade over time under irradiation. The literature suggests nanocrystalline materials as radiation tolerant, but little or no evidence is present from thermal transport perspective. In this study, we irradiated 10 nm grain size zirconium thin films with 800 keV Zr + beam from a 6 MV HVE Tandem accelerator to achieve various doses of 3 × 10 10 to 3.26 × 10 14 ions/cm 2, corresponding to displacement per atom (dpa) of 2.1 × 10 –4 to 2.28. Transmission electron microscopy showed significant grainmore » growth, texture evolution and oxidation in addition to the creation of displacement defects due to the irradiation. The specimens were co-fabricated with micro-heaters to establish thermal gradients that were mapped using infrared thermometry. An energy balance approach was used to estimate the thermal conductivity of the specimens, as function of irradiation dosage. As a result, up to 32% reduction of thermal conductivity was measured for the sample exposed to a dose of 2.1 dpa (3 × 10 14 ions/cm 2).« less

Enhanced stimulated emission in ZnO thin films using microdisk top-down structuring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nomenyo, K.; Kostcheev, S.; Lérondel, G.

2014-05-05

Microdisks were fabricated in zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films using a top-down approach combining electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. These microdisk structured thin films exhibit a stimulated surface emission between 3 and 7 times higher than that from a reference film depending on the excitation power density. Emission peak narrowing, reduction in lasing threshold and blue-shifting of the emission wavelength were observed along with enhancement in the emitted intensity. Results indicate that this enhancement is due to an increase in the internal quantum efficiency combined with an amplification of the stimulated emission. An analysis in terms of waveguidingmore » is presented in order to explain these effects. These results demonstrate that very significant gains in emission can be obtained through conventional microstructuration without the need for more onerous top-down nanostructuration techniques.« less

Temperature and field dependent magnetization studies on nano-crystalline ZnFe2O4 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, B. N.; Suresh, K. G.; Venkataramani, N.; Prasad, Shiva; Krishnan, R.

2018-05-01

Single phase nano-crystalline zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) thin films were deposited on fused quartz substrate using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The films were deposited at different substrate temperatures. The field dependence of magnetization at 10 K shows hysteresis loops for all the samples. Temperature dependence of the field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) magnetization indicated irreversible behavior between the FC and ZFC data, and the irreversibility depends on the measuring magnetic field. The thermo-magnetic irreversibility in the magnetization data is correlated with the magnitude of the applied field and the coercivity (HC) obtained from the M-H loops.

ZnO nanostructures as electron extraction layers for hybrid perovskite thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolaidou, Katerina; Sarang, Som; Tung, Vincent; Lu, Jennifer; Ghosh, Sayantani

Optimum interaction between light harvesting media and electron transport layers is critical for the efficient operation of photovoltaic devices. In this work, ZnO layers of different morphologies are implemented as electron extraction and transport layers for hybrid perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 thin films. These include nanowires, nanoparticles, and single crystalline film. Charge transfer at the ZnO/perovskite interface is investigated and compared through ultra-fast characterization techniques, including temperature and power dependent spectroscopy, and time-resolved photoluminescence. The nanowires cause an enhancement in perovskite emission, which may be attributed to increased scattering and grain boundary formation. However, the ZnO layers with decreasing surface roughness exhibit better electron extraction, as inferred from photoluminescence quenching, reduction in the number of bound excitons, and reduced exciton lifetime in CH3NH3PbI3 samples. This systematic study is expected to provide an understanding of the fundamental processes occurring at the ZnO-CH3NH3PbI3 interface and ultimately, provide guidelines for the ideal configuration of ZnO-based hybrid Perovskite devices. This research was supported by National Aeronautics and Space administration (NASA) Grant No: NNX15AQ01A.

Correlation study of nanocrystalline carbon doped thin films prepared by a thermionic vacuum arc deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinca-Balan, Virginia; Vladoiu, Rodica; Mandes, Aurelia; Prodan, Gabriel

2017-11-01

The synthesis of Ag, Mg and Si nanocrystalline, embedded in a hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix, deposited by a high vacuum and free buffer gas technique, were investigated. The films with compact structures and extremely smooth surfaces were prepared using the thermionic vacuum arc method in one electron gun configuration, on glass and silicon substrates. The surface morphology and wettability of the obtained multifunctional thin films were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and free surface energy (FSE) by See System. The results from the TEM measurements show how the Ag, Mg and Si interacted with carbon and the influence these materials have on the thin film structure formation and the grain size distribution. SEM correlated with EDX results reveal a very precise comparative study, regarding the quantity of the elements that morphed into carbides nanostructures. Also, the FSE results prove how different materials in combination with carbon can make changes to the surface properties.

Fabrication of thin ZnO films with wide-range tuned optical properties by reactive magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydova, A.; Tselikov, G.; Dilone, D.; Rao, K. V.; Kabashin, A. V.; Belova, L.

2018-02-01

We report the manufacturing of thin zinc oxide films by reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature, and examine their structural and optical properties. We show that the partial oxygen pressure in DC mode can have dramatic effect on absorption and refractive index (RI) of the films in a broad spectral range. In particular, the change of the oxygen pressure from 7% to 5% can lead to either conventional crystalline ZnO films having low absorption and characteristic descending dependence of RI from 2.4-2.7 RIU in the visible to 1.8-2 RIU in the near-infrared (1600 nm) range, or to untypical films, composed of ZnO nano-crystals embedded into amorphous matrix, exhibiting unexpectedly high absorption in the visible-infrared region and ascending dependence of RI with values varying from 1.5 RIU in the visible to 4 RIU in the IR (1600 nm), respectively. Untypical optical characteristics in the second case are explained by defects in ZnO structure arising due to under-oxidation of ZnO crystals. We also show that the observed defect-related film structure remains stable even after annealing of films under relatively high temperatures (30 min under 450 °C). We assume that both types of films can be of importance for photovoltaic (as contact or active layers, respectively), as well as for chemical or biological sensing, optoelectronics etc.

Characterization of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al films by sol-gel spin coating method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gareso, P. L., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com; Rauf, N., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com; Juarlin, E., E-mail: pgareso@gmail.com

2014-09-25

Nanocrystalline ZnO films doped with aluminium by sol-gel spin coating method have been investigated using optical transmittance UV-Vis and X-ray diffraction (X-RD) measurements. ZnO films were prepared using zinc acetate dehydrate (Zn(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}@@‡2H{sub 2}O), ethanol, and diethanolamine (DEA) as a starting material, solvent, and stabilizer, respectively. For doped films, AlCl{sub 3} was added to the mixture. The ZnO:Al films were deposited on a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) substrate using spin coating technique at room temperature with a rate of 3000 rpm in 30 sec. The deposited films were annealed at various temperatures from 400°C to 600°C during 60 minutes.more » The transmittance UV-Vis measurement results showed that after annealing at 400°C, the energy band gap profile of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al film was a blue shift. This indicated that the band gap of ZnO:Al increased after annealing due to the increase of crystalline size. As the annealing temperature increased the bandgap energy was a constant. In addition to this, there was a small oscillation occurring after annealing compared to the as–grown samples. In the case of X-RD measurements, the crystalinity of the films were amorphous before annealing, and after annealing the crystalinity became enhance. Also, X-RD results showed that structure of nanocrystalline ZnO:Al films were hexagonal polycrystalline with lattice parameters are a = 3.290 Å and c = 5.2531 Å.« less

Cu-Doped ZnO Thin Films Deposited by a Sol-Gel Process Using Two Copper Precursors: Gas-Sensing Performance in a Propane Atmosphere

PubMed Central

Gómez-Pozos, Heberto; Arredondo, Emma Julia Luna; Maldonado Álvarez, Arturo; Biswal, Rajesh; Kudriavtsev, Yuriy; Pérez, Jaime Vega; Casallas-Moreno, Yenny Lucero; Olvera Amador, María de la Luz

2016-01-01

A study on the propane gas-sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films is presented in this work. The films were deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel and dip coating methods, using zinc acetate as a zinc precursor, copper acetate and copper chloride as precursors for doping. For higher sensitivity values, two film thickness values are controlled by the six and eight dippings, whereas for doping, three dippings were used, irrespective of the Cu precursor. The film structure was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, and the analysis of the surface morphology and film composition was made through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), respectively. The sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films were then characterized in a propane atmosphere, C3H8, at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Cu-doped ZnO films doped with copper chloride presented the highest sensitivity of approximately 6 × 104, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant precursor type. The results obtained in this work show that the use of Cu as a dopant in ZnO films processed by sol-gel produces excellent catalysts for sensing C3H8 gas. PMID:28787885

Cu-Doped ZnO Thin Films Deposited by a Sol-Gel Process Using Two Copper Precursors: Gas-Sensing Performance in a Propane Atmosphere.

PubMed

Gómez-Pozos, Heberto; Arredondo, Emma Julia Luna; Maldonado Álvarez, Arturo; Biswal, Rajesh; Kudriavtsev, Yuriy; Pérez, Jaime Vega; Casallas-Moreno, Yenny Lucero; Olvera Amador, María de la Luz

2016-01-29

A study on the propane gas-sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films is presented in this work. The films were deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel and dip coating methods, using zinc acetate as a zinc precursor, copper acetate and copper chloride as precursors for doping. For higher sensitivity values, two film thickness values are controlled by the six and eight dippings, whereas for doping, three dippings were used, irrespective of the Cu precursor. The film structure was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, and the analysis of the surface morphology and film composition was made through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), respectively. The sensing properties of Cu-doped ZnO thin films were then characterized in a propane atmosphere, C₃H₈, at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Cu-doped ZnO films doped with copper chloride presented the highest sensitivity of approximately 6 × 10⁴, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant precursor type. The results obtained in this work show that the use of Cu as a dopant in ZnO films processed by sol-gel produces excellent catalysts for sensing C₃H₈ gas.

Nanocrystalline CuNi alloys: improvement of mechanical properties and thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogues, Josep; Varea, A.; Pellicer, E.; Sivaraman, K. M.; Pane, S.; Nelson, B. J.; Surinach, S.; Baro, M. D.; Sort, J.

2014-03-01

Nanocrystalline metallic films are known to benefit from novel and enhanced physical and chemical properties. In spite of these outstanding properties, nanocrystalline metals typically show relatively poor thermal stability which leads to deterioration of the properties due to grain coarsening. We have studied nanocrystalline Cu1-xNix (0.56 < x < 1) thin films (3 μm-thick) electrodeposited galvanostatically onto Cu/Ti/Si (100) substrates. CuNi thin films exhibit large values of hardness (6.15 < H < 7.21 GPa), which can be tailored by varying the composition. However, pure Ni films (x = 1) suffer deterioration of their mechanical and magnetic properties after annealing during 3 h at relatively low temperatures (TANN > 475 K) due to significant grain growth. Interestingly, alloying Ni with Cu clearly improves the thermal stability of the material because grain coarsening is delayed due to segregation of a Cu-rich phase at grain boundaries, thus preserving both the mechanical and magnetic properties up to higher TANN.

Intrinsic and extrinsic doping of ZnO and ZnO alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellmer, Klaus; Bikowski, André

2016-10-01

In this article the doping of the oxidic compound semiconductor ZnO is reviewed with special emphasis on n-type doping. ZnO naturally exhibits n-type conductivity, which is used in the application of highly doped n-type ZnO as a transparent electrode, for instance in thin film solar cells. For prospective application of ZnO in other electronic devices (LEDs, UV photodetectors or power devices) p-type doping is required, which has been reported only minimally. Highly n-type doped ZnO can be prepared by doping with the group IIIB elements B, Al, Ga, and In, which act as shallow donors according to the simple hydrogen-like substitutional donor model of Bethe (1942 Theory of the Boundary Layer of Crystal Rectifiers (Boston, MA: MIT Rad Lab.)). Group IIIA elements (Sc, Y, La etc) are also known to act as shallow donors in ZnO, similarly explainable by the shallow donor model of Bethe. Some reports showed that even group IVA (Ti, Zr, Hf) and IVB (Si, Ge) elements can be used to prepare highly doped ZnO films—which, however, can no longer be explained by the simple hydrogen-like substitutional donor model. More probably, these elements form defect complexes that act as shallow donors in ZnO. On the other hand, group V elements on oxygen lattice sites (N, P, As, and Sb), which were viewed for a long time as typical shallow acceptors, behave instead as deep acceptors, preventing high hole concentrations in ZnO at room temperature. Also, ‘self’-compensation, i.e. the formation of a large number of intrinsic donors at high acceptor concentrations seems to counteract the p-type doping of ZnO. At donor concentrations above about 1020 cm-3, the electrical activation of the dopant elements is often less than 100%, especially in polycrystalline thin films. Reasons for the electrical deactivation of the dopant atoms are (i) the formation of dopant-defect complexes, (ii) the compensation of the electrons by acceptors (Oi, VZn) or (iii) the formation of secondary phases, for

Effects of oxide distributed in grain boundaries on microstructure stability of nanocrystalline metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Kai; Li, Hui; Biao Pang, Jin; Wang, Zhu

2013-06-01

Nanocrystalline copper and zinc prepared by high-pressure compaction method have been studied by positron lifetime spectroscopy associated with X-ray diffraction. For nanocrystalline Cu, mean grain sizes of the samples decrease after being annealed at 900 °C and increase during aging at 180 °C, revealing that the atoms exchange between the two regions. The positron lifetime results indicate that the vacancy clusters formed in the annealing process are unstable and decomposed at the aging time below 6 hours. In addition, the partially oxidized surfaces of the nanoparticles hinder the grain growth during the ageing at 180 °C, and the vacancy clusters inside the disorder regions which are related to Cu2O need longer aging time to decompose. In the case of nanocrystalline Zn, the open volume defect (not larger than divacancy) is dominant according to the high relative intensity for the short positron lifetime (τ1). The oxide (ZnO) inside the grain boundaries has been found having an effect to hinder the decrease of average positron lifetime (τav) during the annealing, which probably indicates that the oxide stabilizes the microstructure of the grain boundaries. For both nanocrystalline copper and zinc, the oxides in grain boundaries enhance the thermal stability of the microstucture, in spite of their different crystal structures. This effect is very important for the nanocrystalline materials using as radiation resistant materials.

Simulation, fabrication and characterization of ZnO based thin film transistors grown by radio frequency magnetron sputtering.

PubMed

Singh, Shaivalini; Chakrabarti, P

2012-03-01

We report the performance of the thin film transistors (TFTs) using ZnO as an active channel layer grown by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. The bottom gate type TFT, consists of a conventional thermally grown SiO2 as gate insulator onto p-type Si substrates. The X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the ZnO films are preferentially orientated in the (002) plane, with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. A typical ZnO TFT fabricated by this method exhibits saturation field effect mobility of about 0.6134 cm2/V s, an on to off ratio of 102, an off current of 2.0 x 10(-7) A, and a threshold voltage of 3.1 V at room temperature. Simulation of this TFT is also carried out by using the commercial software modeling tool ATLAS from Silvaco-International. The simulated global characteristics of the device were compared and contrasted with those measured experimentally. The experimental results are in fairly good agreement with those obtained from simulation.

Smart chemical sensors using ZnO semiconducting thin films for freshness detection of foods and beverages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanto, Hidehito; Kobayashi, Toshiki; Dougami, Naganori; Habara, Masaaki; Yamamoto, Hajime; Kusano, Eiji; Kinbara, Akira; Douguchi, Yoshiteru

1998-07-01

The sensitivity of the chemical sensor, based on the resistance change of Al2O3-doped and SnO2-doped ZnO (ZnO:Al and ZnO:SnO2) thin film, is studied for exposure to various gases. It is found that the ZnO:Al and ZnO:Sn thin film chemical sensor has a high sensitivity and excellent selectivity for amine (TMA and DMA) gas and ethanol gas, respectively. The ZnO:Al (5.0 wt%) thin film chemical sensor which exhibit a high sensitivity for exposure to odors from rotten sea foods, such as salmon, sea bream, oyster, squid and sardine, responds to the freshness change of these sea foods. The ZnO:SnO2 (78 wt%) thin film chemical sensor which exhibit a high sensitivity for exposure to aroma from alcohols, such as wine, Japanese sake, and whisky, responds to the freshness change of these alcohols.

Effect of substrate temperature on implantation doping of Co in CdS nanocrystalline thin films.

PubMed

Chandramohan, S; Kanjilal, A; Sarangi, S N; Majumder, S; Sathyamoorthy, R; Hong, C-H; Som, T

2010-07-01

We demonstrate doping of nanocrystalline CdS thin films with Co ions by ion implantation at an elevated temperature of 573 K. The modifications caused in structural and optical properties of these films are investigated. Co-doping does not lead to amorphization or formation of any secondary phase precipitate for dopant concentrations in the range of 0.34-10.8 at.% used in the present study. However, we observe a systematic reduction in the d-spacing with increasing cobalt concentration. Optical band gap of CdS does not show any obvious change upon Co-doping. In addition, implantation gives rise to grain growth and increase in the surface roughness. The results are discussed in the light of ion-matter interaction in the keV regime.

An investigation on the In doping of ZnO thin films by spray pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahesh, Devika; Kumar, M. C. Santhosh

2018-04-01

Indium doped zinc oxide (IGZO)thin films are gaining much interest owing to its commercial application as transparent conductive oxide thin films. In the current study thin films indium doped ZnO thin films have been deposited on glass substrates by chemical spray pyrolysis technique with an indium concentration of 1, 2.5 and 4% in Zinc source. The films show a peak shift in the X-Ray Diffraction patterns with varying indium doping concentration. The (101) peak was enhanced for the 2.5 % indium doped films and variation in grain size with the different doping levels was studied. The as-deposited films are uniform and shown high transparency (>90%) in the visible region. Average thicknesses of films are found to be 800nm, calculated using the envelope method. The film with 2.5 % of indium content was found to be highly conducting than the rest, since for the lower and higher concentrations the conductivity was possibly halted by the limit in carrier concentration and indium segregation in the grain boundaries respectively. The enhancement of mobility and carrier concentration was clearly seen in the optimum films.

Resistive switching: An investigation of the bipolar–unipolar transition in Co-doped ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santos, Daniel A.A., E-mail: danielandrade.ufs@gmail.com; Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260; Zeng, Hao

2015-06-15

Highlights: • A purely bipolar behavior on a Co-doped ZnO thin film has been demonstrated. • We have shown what can happen if a unipolar test is performed in a purely bipolar device. • An explanation for how a sample can show a purely bipolar switching behavior was suggested. • An important open issue about resistive switching effect was put in debate. - Abstract: In order to investigate the resistive switching effect we built devices in a planar structure in which two Al contacts were deposited on the top of the film and separated by a small gap using amore » shadow mask. Therefore, two samples of 10% Co-doped ZnO thin films were sputtered on glass substrate. High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) revealed a highly c-axis oriented crystalline structure, without secondary phase. The high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) showed a flat surface with good coverage and thickness about 300 nm. A Keithley 2425 semiconductor characterization system was used to perform the resistive switching tests in the bipolar and unipolar modes. Considering only the effect of compliance current (CC), the devices showed a purely bipolar behavior since an increase in CC did not induce a transition to unipolar behavior.« less

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Nanocrystalline silicon film growth morphology control through RF waveform tailoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Erik V.; Verbeke, Thomas; Vanel, Jean-Charles; Booth, Jean-Paul

2010-10-01

We demonstrate the application of RF waveform tailoring to generate an electrical asymmetry in a capacitively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition system, and its use to control the growth mode of hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films deposited at low temperature (150 °C). A dramatic shift in the dc bias potential at the powered electrode is observed when simply inverting the voltage waveform from 'peaks' to 'troughs', indicating an asymmetric distribution of the sheath voltage. By enhancing or suppressing the ion bombardment energy at the substrate (situated on the grounded electrode), the growth of thin silicon films can be switched between amorphous and nanocrystalline modes, as observed using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. The effect is observed at pressures sufficiently low that the collisional reduction in average ion bombardment energy is not sufficient to allow nanocrystalline growth (<100 mTorr).

Improved electron injection in spin coated Alq3 incorporated ZnO thin film in the device for solution processed OLEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasi, Gnyaneshwar; Ramarajan, R.; Thangaraju, Kuppusamy

2018-04-01

We deposit tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) incorporated zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films by spin coating method under the normal ambient. It showed the higher transmittance (90% at 550 nm) when compared to that (80% at 550 nm) of spin coated pure ZnO film. SEM studies show that the Alq3 incorporation in ZnO film also enhances the formation of small sized particles arranged in the network of wrinkles on the surface. XRD reveals the improved crystalline properties upon Alq3 inclusion. We fabricate the electron-only devices (EODs) with the structure of ITO/spin coated ZnO:Alq3 as ETL/Alq3 interlayer/LiF/Al. The device showed the higher electron current density of 2.75 mA/cm2 at 12V when compared to that (0.82 mA/cm2 at 12V) of the device using pure ZnO ETL. The device results show that it will be useful to fabricate the low-cost solution processed OLEDs for future lighting and display applications.

Toward DNA electrochemical sensing by free-standing ZnO nanosheets grown on 2D thin-layered MoS2.

PubMed

Yang, Tao; Chen, Meijing; Kong, Qianqian; Luo, Xiliang; Jiao, Kui

2017-03-15

Very recently, the 2-dimensional MoS 2 layer as base substrate integrated with other materials has caused people's emerging attention. In this paper, a thin-layered MoS 2 was prepared through an ultrasonic exfoliation method from bulk MoS 2 and then the free-standing ZnO nanosheet was electrodeposited on the MoS 2 scaffold for DNA sensing. The ZnO/MoS 2 nanocomposite revealed smooth and vertical nanosheets morphology by scanning electron microscopy, compared with the sole MoS 2 and sole ZnO. Importantly, the partially negative charged MoS 2 layer is beneficial to the nucleation and growth of ZnO nanosheets under the effect of electrostatic interactions. Classic methylene blue, which possesses different affinities to dsDNA and ssDNA, was adopted as the measure signal to confirm the immobilization and hybridization of DNA on ZnO nanosheets and pursue the optimal synthetic conditions. And the results demonstrated that the free-standing ZnO/MoS 2 nanosheets had low detection limit (6.6×10 -16 M) and has a positive influence on DNA immobilization and hybridization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical properties of Mg doped ZnO nanostructure annealed at different temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, R., E-mail: ruziana12@gmail.com; Mamat, M. H., E-mail: hafiz-030@yahoo.com; Rusop, M., E-mail: nanouitm@gmail.com

In this work, ZincOxide (ZnO) nanostructures doped with Mg were successfully grown on the glass substrate. Magnesium (Mg) metal element was added in the ZnO host which acts as a doping agent. Different temperature in range of 250°C to 500°C was used in order to investigate the effect of annealing temperature of ZnO thin films. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) was used to investigate the physical characteristic of ZnO thin films. FESEM results have revealed that ZnO nanorods were grown vertically aligned. The structural properties were determined by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. XRD results showed Mg doped ZnOmore » thin have highest crystalinnity at 500°C annealing temperature. The electrical properties were investigating by using Current-Voltage (I-V) measurement. I-V measurement showed the electrical properties were varied at different annealing temperature. The annealing temperature at 500°C has the highest electrical conductance properties.« less

Correlation between nano-scale microstructural behavior and the performance of ZnO thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Ahn, Cheol Hyoun; Lee, Ju Ho; Lee, Jeong Yong; Cho, Hyung Koun

2014-12-01

Binary ZnO active layers possessing a polycrystalline structure were deposited with various argon/oxygen flow ratios at 250 degrees C via sputtering. Then ZnO thin-film-transistors (TFTs) were fabricated without additional thermal treatments. As the oxygen content increased during the deposition, the preferred orientation along the (0002) was weakened and the rotation of the grains increased, and furthermore, less conducting films were observed. On the other hand, the reduced oxygen flow rate induced the formation of amorphous-like transition layers during the initial growth due to a high growth rate and high energetic bombardment of the adatoms. As a result, the amorphous phases at the gate dielectric/channel interface were responsible for the formation of a hump shape in the subthreshold region of the TFT transfer curve. In addition, the relationship between the crystal properties and the shift in the threshold voltage was experimentally confirmed by a hysteresis test.

The magnetic ordering in high magnetoresistance Mn-doped ZnO thin films

DOE PAGES

Venkatesh, S.; Baras, A.; Lee, J. -S.; ...

2016-03-24

Here, we studied the nature of magnetic ordering in Mn-doped ZnO thin films that exhibited ferromagnetism at 300 K and superparamagnetism at 5 K. We directly inter-related the magnetisation and magnetoresistance by invoking the polaronpercolation theory and variable range of hopping conduction below the metal-to-insulator transition. By obtaining a qualitative agreement between these two models, we attribute the ferromagnetism to the s-d exchange-induced spin splitting that was indicated by large positive magnetoresistance (~40 %). Low temperature superparamagnetism was attributed to the localization of carriers and non-interacting polaron clusters. This analysis can assist in understanding the presence or absence of ferromagnetismmore » in doped/un-doped ZnO.« less

Characterization of a new transparent-conducting material of ZnO doped ITO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. M.

2005-11-01

Thin films of indium tin oxide (ITO) doped with zinc oxide have the remarkable properties of being conductive yet still highly transparent in the visible and near-IR spectral ranges. The Electron beam deposi- tion technique is one of the simplest and least expensive ways of preparing. High-quality ITO thin films have been deposited on glass substrates by Electron beam evaporation technique. The effect of doping and substrate deposition temperature was found to have a significant effect on the structure, electrical and optical properties of ZnO doped ITO films. The average optical transmittance has been increased with in- creasing the substrate temperature. The maximum value of transmittance is greater than 84% in the visible region and 85% in the NIR region obtained for film with Zn/ITO = 0.13 at substrate temperature 200 °C. The dielectric constant, average excitation energy for electronic transitions (E o), the dispersion energy (E d), the long wavelength refractive index (n ), average oscillator wave length ( o) and oscillator strength S _o for the thin films were determined and presented in this work.

Nanocrystalline mesoporous SMO thin films prepared by sol gel process for MEMS-based hydrogen sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Jianwei; Fei, Weifeng; Seal, Sudipta; Chen, Quanfang

2004-01-01

MEMS based SnO2 gas sensor with sol gel synthesized mesoporous nanocrystalline (<10 nm) semiconductor thin (100~150 nm) film has been recently developed. The SnO2 nano film is fabricated with the combination of polymeric sol gel chemistry with block copolymers used for structure directing agents. The novel hydrogen sensor has a fast response time (1s) and quick recovery time (3s), as well as good sensitivity (about 90%), comparing to other hydrogen sensors developed. The improved capabilities are credited to the large surface to volume ratio of gas sensing thin film with nano sized porous surface topology, which can greatly increase the sensitivity even at relatively low working temperature. The gas sensing film is deposited onto a thin dielectric membrane of low thermal conductivity, which provides good thermal isolation between substrate and the gas-sensitive heated area on the membrane. In this way the power consumption can be kept very low. Since the fabrication process is completely compatible with IC industry, it makes mass production possible and greatly reduces the cost. The working temperature of the new sensor can be reduced as low as 100°C. The low working temperature posse advantages such as lower power consumption, lower thermal induced signal shift as well as safe detection in certain environments where temperature is strictly limited.

Structure and Properties of Al and Ga- Doped ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temizer, Namik Kemal

Recently there is tremendous interest in Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) research due to the unlimited and exciting application areas. Current research is mostly focused on finding alternative low cost and sustainable materials in order to replace indium tin oxide (ITO), which caused serious concern due to the increasing cost of indium and chemical stability issues of ITO. The primary aim of this research is to develop alternative TCO materials with superior properties in order to increase the efficiency in optoelectronic applications, as well as to study the properties of these materials to fully characterize them. We have grown Al and Ga-doped ZnO films with an optimized composition under different deposition conditions in order to understand the effect of processing parameters on the film properties. We report a detailed investigation on the structure-property correlations in Ga and Al codoped ZnO films on c-sapphire substrates where the thin film microstructure varies from nanocrystalline to single crystal. We have achieved highly epitaxial films with very high optical transmittance (close to 90%) and low resistivity (˜110muO-cm) values. The films grown in an ambient oxygen partial pressure (PO2 ) of 50 mTorr and at growth temperatures from room temperature to 600°C showed semiconducting behavior, whereas samples grown at a Po2 of 1 mTorr showed metallic nature. The most striking feature is the occurrence of resistivity minima at relatively high temperatures around 110 K in films deposited at high temperatures. The structure-property correlations reveal that point defects play an important role in modifying the structural, optical, electrical and magnetic properties and such changes in physical properties are controlled predominantly by the defect content. To gain a better understanding of the conduction processes in doped ZnO thin films, we have studied the temperature variation of resistivity of some selected samples that showed some interesting behavior

Correlated effects of preparation parameters and thickness on morphology and optical properties of ZnO very thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliot, Mickaël; Hadjadj, Aomar

2015-08-01

Nano-granular ZnO layers have been grown using a sol-gel synthesis and spin-coating deposition process. Thin films with thicknesses ranging from 15 to 150 nm have been obtained by varying the number of deposition cycles and prepared with different synthesis conditions. Morphologies and optical properties have been carefully investigated by joint spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. A correlation between the evolution of optical properties and grains morphology has been observed. It is shown that both synthesis temperature and concentration similarly allow us to change the correlated growth and properties evolution rate. Thickness variation associated to choice of synthesis parameters could be a useful way to tune morphology and optical properties of the nanostructured ZnO layers.

Ferroelectric Polarization in Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite Thin Films on Silicon

PubMed Central

Lang, S. B.; Tofail, S. A. M.; Kholkin, A. L.; Wojtaś, M.; Gregor, M.; Gandhi, A. A.; Wang, Y.; Bauer, S.; Krause, M.; Plecenik, A.

2013-01-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone- a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics. PMID:23884324

Ferroelectric Polarization in Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite Thin Films on Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, S. B.; Tofail, S. A. M.; Kholkin, A. L.; Wojtaś, M.; Gregor, M.; Gandhi, A. A.; Wang, Y.; Bauer, S.; Krause, M.; Plecenik, A.

2013-07-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone- a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics.

Ferroelectric polarization in nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films on silicon.

PubMed

Lang, S B; Tofail, S A M; Kholkin, A L; Wojtaś, M; Gregor, M; Gandhi, A A; Wang, Y; Bauer, S; Krause, M; Plecenik, A

2013-01-01

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals in natural form are a major component of bone--a known piezoelectric material. Synthetic hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone grafts and prosthetic pyroelectric coatings as it binds strongly with natural bone. Nanocrystalline synthetic hydroxyapatite films have recently been found to exhibit strong piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity. While a spontaneous polarization in hydroxyapatite has been predicted since 2005, the reversibility of this polarization (i.e. ferroelectricity) requires experimental evidence. Here we use piezoresponse force microscopy to demonstrate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite indeed exhibits ferroelectricity: a reversal of polarization under an electrical field. This finding will strengthen investigations on the role of electrical polarization in biomineralization and bone-density related diseases. As hydroxyapatite is one of the most common biocompatible materials, our findings will also stimulate systematic exploration of lead and rare-metal free ferroelectric devices for potential applications in areas as diverse as in vivo and ex vivo energy harvesting, biosensing and electronics.

Layer-by-layer assembled thin films and microcapsules of nanocrystalline cellulose for hydrophobic drug delivery.

PubMed

Mohanta, Vaishakhi; Madras, Giridhar; Patil, Satish

2014-11-26

A layer-by-layer (LbL) approach has been employed for the fabrication of multilayer thin films and microcapsules having nanofibrous morphology using nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as one of the components of the assembly. The applicability of these nanoassemblies as drug delivery carriers has been explored by the loading of an anticancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and a water-insoluble drug, curcumin. Doxorubicin hydrochloride, having a good water solubility, is postloaded in the assembly. In the case of curcumin, which is very hydrophobic and has limited solubility in water, a stable dispersion is prepared via noncovalent interaction with NCC prior to incorporation in the LbL assembly. The interaction of various other lipophilic drugs with NCC was analyzed theoretically by molecular docking in consideration of NCC as a general carrier for hydrophobic drugs.

Nanosecond laser switching of surface wettability and epitaxial integration of c-axis ZnO thin films with Si(111) substrates.

PubMed

Molaei, R; Bayati, M R; Alipour, H M; Estrich, N A; Narayan, J

2014-01-08

We have achieved integration of polar ZnO[0001] epitaxial thin films with Si(111) substrates where cubic yttria-stabilized zirconia (c-YSZ) was used as a template on a Si(111) substrate. Using XRD (θ-2θ and φ scans) and HRTEM techniques, the epitaxial relationship between the ZnO and the c-YSZ layers was shown to be [0001]ZnO || [111]YSZ and [21¯1¯0]ZnO || [1¯01](c-YSZ), where the [21¯1¯0] direction lies in the (0001) plane, and the [1¯01] direction lies in the (111) plane. Similar studies on the c-YSZ/Si interface revealed epitaxy as (111)YSZ || (111)Si and in-plane (110)YSZ || (110)Si. HRTEM micrographs revealed atomically sharp and crystallographically continuous interfaces. The ZnO epilayers were subsequently laser annealed by a single pulse of a nanosecond excimer KrF laser. It was shown that the hydrophobic behavior of the pristine sample became hydrophilic after laser treatment. XPS was employed to study the effect of laser treatment on surface stoichiometry of the ZnO epilayers. The results revealed the formation of oxygen vacancies, which are envisaged to control the observed hydrophilic behavior. Our AFM studies showed surface smoothing due to the coupling of the high energy laser beam with the surface. The importance of integration of c-axis ZnO with Si(111) substrates is emphasized using the paradigm of domain matching epitaxy on the c-YSZ[111] buffer platform along with their out-of-plane orientation, which leads to improvement of the performance of the solid-state devices. The observed ultrafast response and switching in photochemical characteristics provide new opportunities for application of ZnO in smart catalysts, sensors, membranes, DNA self-assembly and multifunctional devices.

Fabrication of the heterojunction diode from Y-doped ZnO thin films on p-Si substrates by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sanjeev K.; Singh, Satendra Pal; Kim, Deuk Young

2018-02-01

The heterojunction diode of yttrium-doped ZnO (YZO) thin films was fabricated on p-Si(100) substrates by sol-gel method. The post-annealing process was performed at 600 °C in vacuum for a short time (3 min) to prevent inter-diffusion of Zn, Y, and Si atoms. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of as-grown and annealed (600 °C in vacuum) films showed the preferred orientation along the c-axis (002) regardless of dopant concentrations. The uniform surface microstructure and the absence of other metal/oxide peaks in XRD pattern confirmed the excellence of films. The increasing bandgap and carrier concentration of YZO thin films were interpreted by the BM shift, that is, the Fermi level moves towards the conduction band edge. The current-voltage characteristics of the heterojunction diode, In/n-ZnO/p-Si/Al, showed a rectification behavior. The turn-on voltage and ideality factor of n-ZnO/p-Si and n-YZO/p-Si were observed to be 3.47 V, 2.61 V, and 1.97, 1.89, respectively. Y-dopant in ZnO thin films provided more donor electrons caused the shifting of Fermi-energy level towards the conduction band and strengthen the interest for heterojunction diodes.

Influence Al doped ZnO nanostructure on structural and optical properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramelan, Ari Handono, E-mail: aramelan@mipa.uns.ac.id; Wahyuningsih, Sayekti; Chasanah, Uswatul

2016-04-19

The preparation of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films prepared by the spin-coating method was reported. Preparation of AZO was conducted by annealing treatment at a temperature of 700°C. While the spin-coating process of AZO thin films were done at 2000 and 3000 rpm respectively. The structural properties of ZnO were determined by X- ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. ZnOnanostructure was formed after annealed at atemperature of 400°C.The morphology of ZnO was determined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed the irregular morphology about 30-50µm in size. Al doped on ZnO influenced the optical properties of those material. Increasing Al contain on ZnO causemore » of shifting to the lower wavelength. The optical properties of the ZnO as well as AZO films showed that higher reflectance on the ultraviolet region so those materials were used as anti-reflecting agent.Al addition significantly enhance the optical transparency and induce the blue-shift in optical bandgap of ZnO films.« less

Structural and optical properties of Na-doped ZnO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akcan, D.; Gungor, A.; Arda, L.

2018-06-01

Zn1-xNaxO (x = 0.0-0.05) solutions have been synthesized by the sol-gel technique using Zinc acetate dihydrate and Sodium acetate which were dissolved into solvent and chelating agent. Na-doped ZnO nanoparticles were obtained from solutions to find phase and crystal structure. Na-doped ZnO films have been deposited onto glass substrate by using sol-gel dip coating system. The effects of dopant concentration on the structure, morphology, and optical properties of Na-doped ZnO thin films deposited on glass substrate are investigated. Characterization of Zn1-xNaxO nanoparticles and thin films are examined using differential thermal analysis (DTA)/thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-Ray diffractometer (XRD). Optical properties of Zn1-xNaxO thin films were obtained by using PG Instruments UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer in 190-1100 nm range. The structure, morphology, and optical properties of thin films are presented.

Temperature-dependent phosphorous dopant activation in ZnO thin film deposited using plasma immersion ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murkute, Punam; Ghadi, Hemant; Saha, Shantanu; Chavan, Vinayak; Chakrabarti, Subhananda

2018-03-01

High band gap (3.34 eV) and large exciton binding energy (60 meV) at room temperature facilitates ZnO as a useful candidate for optoelectronics devices. Presence of zinc interstitial and oxygen vacancies results in n-type ZnO film. Phosphorus implantation was carried out using plasma immersion ion implantation technique (2kV, 900W) for constant duration (50 s) on RF sputtered ZnO thin films (Sample A). For dopant activation, sample A was subjected to Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) at 700, 800, 900 and 1000°C for 10 s in Oxygen ambient (Sample B, C, D, E). Low temperature (18 K) photoluminescence measurement demonstrated strong donor bound exciton peak for sample A. Dominant donor to acceptor pair peak (DAP) was observed for sample D at around 3.22 eV with linewidth of 131.3 meV. High resolution x-ray diffraction measurement demonstrated (001) and (002) peaks for sample A. (002) peak with high intensity was observed from all annealed samples. Incorporation of phosphorus in ZnO films leads to peak shift towards higher 2θ angle indicate tensile strain in implanted samples. Scanning electron microscopy images reveals improvement in grain size distribution along with reduction of implantation related defects. Raman spectra measured A1(LO) peak at around 576 cm-1 for sample A. Low intensity E2 (high) peak was observed for sample D indicating formation of (PZn+2VZn) complexes. From room temperature Hall measurement, sample D measured 1.17 x 1018 cm -3 carrier concentration with low resistivity of 0.464 Ω.

Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

2017-12-01

Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

Structural, morphological and magnetic properties of pure and Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Undre, Pallavi G.; Birajdar, Shankar D.; Kathare, R. V.; Jadhav, K. M.

2018-05-01

In this work pure and Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared by sol-gel method. Influence of nickel doping on structural, morphological and magnetic properties of prepared nanoparticles was investigated by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Pulse field magnetic hysteresis loop. X-ray diffraction pattern shows the formation of a single phase with hexagonal wurtzite structure of both pure and Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The lattice parameters `an' and `c' of Ni-doped ZnO is slightly less than that of pure ZnO nanoparticles. The crystalline size of prepared nanoparticles is found to be in 29 and 31 nm range. SEM technique used to examine the surface morphology of samples, SEM image confirms the nanocrystalline nature of present samples. From the pulse field hysteresis loop technique pure and Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles show diamagnetic and ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature respectively.

Evolution of dielectric function of Al-doped ZnO thin films with thermal annealing: effect of band gap expansion and free-electron absorption.

PubMed

Li, X D; Chen, T P; Liu, Y; Leong, K C

2014-09-22

Evolution of dielectric function of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films with annealing temperature is observed. It is shown that the evolution is due to the changes in both the band gap and the free-electron absorption as a result of the change of free-electron concentration of the AZO thin films. The change of the electron concentration could be attributed to the activation of Al dopant and the creation/annihilation of the donor-like defects like oxygen vacancy in the thin films caused by annealing.

Al-/Ga-Doped ZnO Window Layers for Highly Efficient Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Seo, Se Won; Seo, Jung Woo; Kim, Donghwan; Cheon, Ki-Beom; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Jin Young

2018-09-01

The successful use of Al-/Ga-doped ZnO (AGZO) thin films as a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer of a Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cell is demonstrated. The AGZO thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) sputtering. The structural, crystallographic, electrical, and optical properties of the AGZO thin films were systematically investigated. The photovoltaic properties of CZTSSe thin film solar cells incorporating the AGZO-based TCO layer were also reported. It has been found that the RF power and substrate temperature of the AGZO thin film are important factors determining the electrical, optical, and structural properties. The optimization process involving the RF power and the substrate temperature leads to good electrical and optical transmittance of the AGZO thin films. Finally, the CZTSSe solar cell with the AGZO TCO layer demonstrated a high conversion efficiency of 9.68%, which is higher than that of the conventional AZO counterpart by 12%.

Plasmonic enhanced optical characteristics of Ag nanostructured ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Arijit; Gogurla, Narendar; Shivakiran Bhaktha, B. N.; Ray, Samit K.

2016-04-01

We have demonstrated the enhanced photoluminescence and photoconducting characteristics of plasmonic Ag-ZnO films due to the light scattering effect from Ag nanoislands. Ag nanoislands have been prepared on ITO-coated glass substrates by thermal evaporation followed by annealing. Plasmonic Ag-ZnO films have been fabricated by depositing ZnO over Ag nanoislands by sol-gel process. The band-edge emission of ZnO is enhanced for 170 nm sized Ag nanoislands in ZnO as compared to pure ZnO. The defect emission is also found to be quenched simultaneously for plasmonic Ag-ZnO films. The enhancement and quenching of photoluminescence at different wavelengths for Ag-ZnO films can be well understood from the localized surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoislands. The Ag-ZnO M-S-M photoconductor device showed a tenfold increment in photocurrent and faster photoresponse as compared to the control ZnO device. The enhancement in photoresponse of the device is due to the increased photon absorption in ZnO films via scattering of the incident illumination.

Selective Dry Etch for Defining Ohmic Contacts for High Performance ZnO TFTs

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

scale, high-frequency ZnO thin - film transistors (TFTs) could be fabricated. Molybdenum, tantalum, titanium tungsten 10-90, and tungsten metallic contact... thin - film transistor layout utilized in the thesis research . . . . . 42 3.4 Process Flow Diagram for Optical and e-Beam Devices...TFT thin - film transistor TLM transmission line model UV ultra-violet xvii SELECTIVE DRY ETCH FOR DEFINING OHMIC CONTACTS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE ZnO TFTs

Achieving highly-enhanced UV photoluminescence and its origin in ZnO nanocrystalline films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thapa, Dinesh; Huso, Jesse; Morrison, John L.

ZnO is an efficient luminescent material in the UV-range ~3.4 eV with a wide range of applications in optical technologies. Sputtering is a cost-effective and relatively straightforward growth technique for ZnO films; however, most as-grown films are observed to contain intrinsic defects which can significantly diminish the desirable UV-emission. In this research the defect dynamics and optical properties of ZnO sputtered films were studied via post-growth annealing in Ar or O 2 ambient, with X-ray diffraction (XRD), imaging, transmission and Urbach analysis, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence (PL). The imaging, XRD, Raman and Urbach analyses indicate significant improvement in crystal morphologymore » and band-edge characteristics upon annealing, which is nearly independent of the annealing environment. The native defects specific to the as-grown films, which were analyzed via PL, are assigned to Zn i related centers that luminesce at 2.8 eV. Their presence is attributed to the nature of the sputtering growth technique, which supports Zn-rich growth conditions. After annealing, in either environment the 2.8 eV center diminished accompanied by morphology improvement, and the desirable UV-PL significantly increased. The O 2 ambient was found to introduce nominal O i centers while the Ar ambient was found to be the ideal environment for the enhancement of the UV-light emission: an enhancement of ~40 times was achieved. The increase in the UV-PL is attributed to the reduction of Zn i-related defects, the presence of which in ZnO provides a competing route to the UV emission. Also, the effect of the annealing was to decrease the compressive stress in the films. Lastly, the dominant UV-PL at the cold temperature regime is attributed to luminescent centers not associated with the usual excitons of ZnO, but rather to structural defects.« less

Achieving highly-enhanced UV photoluminescence and its origin in ZnO nanocrystalline films

DOE PAGES

Thapa, Dinesh; Huso, Jesse; Morrison, John L.; ...

2016-06-14

ZnO is an efficient luminescent material in the UV-range ~3.4 eV with a wide range of applications in optical technologies. Sputtering is a cost-effective and relatively straightforward growth technique for ZnO films; however, most as-grown films are observed to contain intrinsic defects which can significantly diminish the desirable UV-emission. In this research the defect dynamics and optical properties of ZnO sputtered films were studied via post-growth annealing in Ar or O 2 ambient, with X-ray diffraction (XRD), imaging, transmission and Urbach analysis, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence (PL). The imaging, XRD, Raman and Urbach analyses indicate significant improvement in crystal morphologymore » and band-edge characteristics upon annealing, which is nearly independent of the annealing environment. The native defects specific to the as-grown films, which were analyzed via PL, are assigned to Zn i related centers that luminesce at 2.8 eV. Their presence is attributed to the nature of the sputtering growth technique, which supports Zn-rich growth conditions. After annealing, in either environment the 2.8 eV center diminished accompanied by morphology improvement, and the desirable UV-PL significantly increased. The O 2 ambient was found to introduce nominal O i centers while the Ar ambient was found to be the ideal environment for the enhancement of the UV-light emission: an enhancement of ~40 times was achieved. The increase in the UV-PL is attributed to the reduction of Zn i-related defects, the presence of which in ZnO provides a competing route to the UV emission. Also, the effect of the annealing was to decrease the compressive stress in the films. Lastly, the dominant UV-PL at the cold temperature regime is attributed to luminescent centers not associated with the usual excitons of ZnO, but rather to structural defects.« less

Optical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline ZrC thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition.

DOE PAGES

Craciun, D.; Socol, G.; Lambers, E.; ...

2015-01-17

Thin ZrC films (<500 nm) were grown on (100) Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 500 °C by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a KrF excimer laser under different CH 4 pressures. Glancing incidence X-ray diffraction showed that films were nanocrystalline, while X-ray reflectivity studies found out films were very dense and exhibited a smooth surface morphology. Optical spectroscopy data shows that the films have high reflectivity (>90%) in the infrared region, characteristic of metallic behavior. Nanoindentation results indicated that films deposited under lower CH 4 pressures exhibited slightly higher nanohardness and Young modulus values than filmsmore » deposited under higher pressures. As a result, tribological characterization revealed that these films exhibited relatively high wear resistance and steady-state friction coefficients on the order of μ = 0.4.« less

Novel p-Type Conductive Semiconductor Nanocrystalline Film as the Back Electrode for High-Performance Thin Film Solar Cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Ming-Jian; Lin, Qinxian; Yang, Xiaoyang; Mei, Zongwei; Liang, Jun; Lin, Yuan; Pan, Feng

2016-02-10

Thin film solar cells, due to the low cost, high efficiency, long-term stability, and consumer applications, have been widely applied for harvesting green energy. All of these thin film solar cells generally adopt various metal thin films as the back electrode, like Mo, Au, Ni, Ag, Al, graphite, and so forth. When they contact with p-type layer, it always produces a Schottky contact with a high contact potential barrier, which greatly affects the cell performance. In this work, we report for the first time to find an appropriate p-type conductive semiconductor film, digenite Cu9S5 nanocrystalline film, as the back electrode for CdTe solar cells as the model device. Its low sheet resistance (16.6 Ω/sq) could compare to that of the commercial TCO films (6-30 Ω/sq), like FTO, ITO, and AZO. Different from the traditonal metal back electrode, it produces a successive gradient-doping region by the controllable Cu diffusion, which greatly reduces the contact potential barrier. Remarkably, it achieved a comparable power conversion efficiency (PCE, 11.3%) with the traditional metal back electrode (Cu/Au thin films, 11.4%) in CdTe cells and a higher PCE (13.8%) with the help of the Au assistant film. We believe it could also act as the back electrode for other thin film solar cells (α-Si, CuInS2, CIGSe, CZTS, etc.), for their performance improvement.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Atomic Layer-Deposited ZnO and TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ates, H.; Bolat, S.; Oruc, F.; Okyay, A. K.

2018-05-01

Metal oxides are attractive for thin film optoelectronic applications. Due to their wide energy bandgaps, ZnO and TiO2 are being investigated by many researchers. Here, we have studied the electrical and optical properties of ZnO and TiO2 as a function of deposition and post-annealing conditions. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a novel thin film deposition technique where the growth conditions can be controlled down to atomic precision. ALD-grown ZnO films are shown to exhibit tunable optical absorption properties in the visible and infrared region. Furthermore, the growth temperature and post-annealing conditions of ZnO and TiO2 affect the electrical properties which are investigated using ALD-grown metal oxide as the electron transport channel on thin film field-effect devices.

A light-trapping strategy for nanocrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells using three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures.

PubMed

Ha, Kyungyeon; Jang, Eunseok; Jang, Segeun; Lee, Jong-Kwon; Jang, Min Seok; Choi, Hoseop; Cho, Jun-Sik; Choi, Mansoo

2016-02-05

We report three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures inducing multiple plasmon resonances for broadband light harvesting in nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) thin-film solar cells. A three-dimensional multiscale (3DM) assembly of nanoparticles generated using a multi-pin spark discharge method has been accomplished over a large area under atmospheric conditions via ion-assisted aerosol lithography. The multiscale features of the sophisticated 3DM structures exhibit surface plasmon resonances at multiple frequencies, which increase light scattering and absorption efficiency over a wide spectral range from 350-1100 nm. The multiple plasmon resonances, together with the antireflection functionality arising from the conformally deposited top surface of the 3D solar cell, lead to a 22% and an 11% improvement in power conversion efficiency of the nc-Si:H thin-film solar cells compared to flat cells and cells employing nanoparticle clusters, respectively. Finite-difference time-domain simulations were also carried out to confirm that the improved device performance mainly originates from the multiple plasmon resonances generated from three-dimensionally assembled nanoparticle structures.

Effect of substrate on thermoelectric properties of Al-doped ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mele, P.; Saini, S.; Honda, H.; Matsumoto, K.; Miyazaki, K.; Hagino, H.; Ichinose, A.

2013-06-01

We have prepared 2% Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films on SrTiO3 (STO) and Al2O3 substrates by Pulsed Laser Deposition technique at various deposition temperatures (Tdep = 300 °C-600 °C). Transport and thermoelectric properties of AZO thin films were studied in low temperature range (300 K-600 K). AZO/STO films present superior performance respect to AZO/Al2O3 films deposited at the same temperature, except for films deposited at 400 °C. Best film is the fully c-axis oriented AZO/STO deposited at 300 °C, which epitaxial strain and dislocation density are the lowest: electrical conductivity 310 S/cm, Seebeck coefficient -65 μV/K, and power factor 0.13 × 10-3 W m-1 K-2 at 300 K. Its performance increases with temperature. For instance, power factor is enhanced up to 0.55 × 10-3 W m-1 K-2 at 600 K, surpassing the best AZO film previously reported in literature.

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1 μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. Utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. In conclusion, utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Environmentally induced chemical and morphological heterogeneity of zinc oxide thin films

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Hua; Chou, Kang Wei; Petrash, Stanislas; ...

2016-09-02

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been reported to suffer from degradation in electrical properties, when exposed to elevated heat and humidity, often leading to failures of electronic devices containing ZnO films. This degradation appears to be linked to water and oxygen penetration into the ZnO film. However, a direct observation in the ZnO film morphological evolution detailing structural and chemical changes has been lacking. Here, we systematically investigated the chemical and morphological heterogeneities of ZnO thin films caused by elevated heat and humidity, simulating an environmental aging. X-ray fluorescence microscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, grazing incidence small angle and widemore » angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultra-high-resolution SEM, and optical microscopy were carried out to examine ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films on two different substrates—silicon wafers and flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. In the un-doped ZnO thin film, the simulated environmental aging is resulting in pin-holes. In the Al-doped ZnO thin films, significant morphological changes occurred after the treatment, with an appearance of platelet-shaped structures that are 100–200 nm wide by 1μm long. Synchrotron x-ray characterization further confirmed the heterogeneity in the aged Al-doped ZnO, showing the formation of anisotropic structures and disordering. X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated the formation of a zinc hydroxide in the aged Al-doped films. In conclusion, utilizing advanced characterization methods, our studies provided information with an unprecedented level of details and revealed the chemical and morphologically heterogeneous nature of the degradation in ZnO thin films.« less

Optical reflectance of solution processed quasi-superlattice ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) channel materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, Darragh; McCormack, Robert; O'Dwyer, Colm

2017-04-01

The angle-resolved reflectance of high crystalline quality, c-axis oriented ZnO and AZO single and periodic quasi-superlattice (QSL) spin-coated TFT channels materials are presented. The data is analysed using an adapted model to accurately determine the spectral region for optical thickness and corresponding reflectance. The optical thickness agrees very well with measured thickness of 1-20 layered QSL thin films determined by transmission electron microscopy if the reflectance from lowest interference order is used. Directional reflectance for single layers or homogeneous QSLs of ZnO and AZO channel materials exhibit a consistent degree of anti-reflection characteristics from 30 to 60° (~10-12% reflection) for thickness ranging from ~40 nm to 500 nm. The reflectance of AZO single layer thin films is  <10% from 30 to 75° at 514.5 nm, and  <6% at 632.8 nm from 30-60°. The data show that ZnO and AZO with granular or periodic substructure behave optically as dispersive, continuous thin films of similar thickness, and angle-resolved spectral mapping provides a design rule for transparency or refractive index determination as a function of film thickness, substructure (dispersion) and viewing angle.

Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

PubMed Central

Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

2016-01-01

Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency. PMID:27194181

Oxidation-Based Continuous Laser Writing in Vertical Nano-Crystalline Graphite Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loisel, Loïc; Florea, Ileana; Cojocaru, Costel-Sorin; Tay, Beng Kang; Lebental, Bérengère

2016-05-01

Nano and femtosecond laser writing are becoming very popular techniques for patterning carbon-based materials, as they are single-step processes enabling the drawing of complex shapes without photoresist. However, pulsed laser writing requires costly laser sources and is known to cause damages to the surrounding material. By comparison, continuous-wave lasers are cheap, stable and provide energy at a more moderate rate. Here, we show that a continuous-wave laser may be used to pattern vertical nano-crystalline graphite thin films with very few macroscale defects. Moreover, a spatially resolved study of the impact of the annealing to the crystalline structure and to the oxygen ingress in the film is provided: amorphization, matter removal and high oxygen content at the center of the beam; sp2 clustering and low oxygen content at its periphery. These data strongly suggest that amorphization and matter removal are controlled by carbon oxidation. The simultaneous occurrence of oxidation and amorphization results in a unique evolution of the Raman spectra as a function of annealing time, with a decrease of the I(D)/I(G) values but an upshift of the G peak frequency.

Structure, Morphology, and Optical Properties of Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Gallium Oxide Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, S. Sampath; Rubio, E. J.; Noor-A-Alam, M.

Ga2O3 thin films were produced by sputter deposition by varying the substrate temperature (Ts) in a wide range (Ts=25-800 oC). The structural characteristics and optical properties of Ga2O3 films were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and spectrophotometric measurements. The effect of growth temperature is significant on the chemistry, crystal structure and morphology of Ga2O3 films. XRD and SEM analyses indicate that the Ga2O3 films grown at lower temperatures were amorphous while those grown at Ts≥500 oC were nanocrystalline. RBS measurements indicate the well-maintained stoichiometry of Ga2O3 films atmore » Ts=300-700 oC. The spectral transmission of the films increased with increasing temperature. The band gap of the films varied from 4.96 eV to 5.17 eV for a variation in Ts in the range 25-800 oC. A relationship between microstructure and optical property is discussed.« less

Highly stable field emission from ZnO nanowire field emitters controlled by an amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin film transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaojie; Wang, Ying; Zhang, Zhipeng; Ou, Hai; She, Juncong; Deng, Shaozhi; Xu, Ningsheng; Chen, Jun

2018-04-01

Lowering the driving voltage and improving the stability of nanowire field emitters are essential for them to be applied in devices. In this study the characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire field emitter arrays (FEAs) controlled by an amorphous indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin film transistor (a-IGZO TFT) were studied. A low driving voltage along with stabilization of the field emission current were achieved. Modulation of field emission currents up to three orders of magnitude was achieved at a gate voltage of 0–32 V for a constant anode voltage. Additionally, a-IGZO TFT control can dramatically reduce the emission current fluctuation (i.e., from 46.11 to 1.79% at an emission current of ∼3.7 µA). Both the a-IGZO TFT and ZnO nanowire FEAs were prepared on glass substrates in our research, demonstrating the feasibility of realizing large area a-IGZO TFT-controlled ZnO nanowire FEAs.

Structure evolution of zinc oxide thin films deposited by unbalance DC magnetron sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aryanto, Didik, E-mail: didi027@lipi.go.id; Materials Research Group, Physics Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Gunungpati, Semarang 50229 Jawa Tengah; Marwoto, Putut

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are deposited on corning glass substrates using unbalanced DC magnetron sputtering. The effect of growth temperature on surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film is studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film are transformed against the increasing of growth temperature. The mean grain size of film and the surface roughness are inversely and directly proportional towards the growth temperature from room temperature to 300 °C, respectively. The smaller grain size and finer roughness of ZnO thin film are obtainedmore » at growth temperature of 400 °C. The result of AFM analysis is in good agreement with the result of XRD analysis. ZnO thin films deposited in a series of growth temperatures have hexagonal wurtzite polycrystalline structures and they exhibit transformations in the crystallographic orientation. The results in this study reveal that the growth temperature strongly influences the surface morphology and crystallographic orientation of ZnO thin film.« less

Influence of Different Aluminum Sources on the NH3 Gas-Sensing Properties of ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozutok, Fatma; Karaduman, Irmak; Demiri, Sani; Acar, Selim

2018-02-01

Herein we report Al-doped ZnO films (AZO) deposited on the ZnO seed layer by chemical bath deposition method. Al powder, Al oxide and Al chloride were used as sources for the deposition process and investigated for their different effects on the NH3 gas-sensing performance. The morphological and microstructural properties were investigated by employing x-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The characterization studies showed that the AZO thin films are crystalline and exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Ammonia (NH3) gas-sensing measurements of AZO films were performed at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures from 50°C to 210°C. The sample based on powder-Al source showed a higher response, selectivity and short response/recovery time than the remaining samples. The powder Al sample exhibited 33% response to 10-ppm ammonia gas at 190°C, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant source type.

Fuel additives and heat treatment effects on nanocrystalline zinc ferrite phase composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Ping; Pan, De-an; Wang, Xin-feng; Tian, Jian-jun; Wang, Jian; Zhang, Shen-gen; Volinsky, Alex A.

2011-03-01

Nanocrystalline ZnFe 2O 4 powder was prepared by the auto-combustion method using citric acid, acetic acid, carbamide and acrylic acid as fuel additives. Pure spinel zinc ferrite with the crystallite size of about 15 nm can be obtained by using acrylic acid as fuel additive. Samples prepared using other fuel additives contain ZnO impurities. In order to eliminate ZnO impurities, the sample prepared with citric acid as fuel additive was annealed at different temperatures up to 1000 °C in air and in argon. Annealed powders have pure ZnFe 2O 4 phase when annealing temperature is higher than 650 °C in air. Sample annealed at 650 °C in air is paramagnetic. However, annealed powders become a mixture of Fe 3O 4 and FeO after annealing at 1000 °C in argon atmosphere due to Zn volatility and the reduction reaction.

Design and investigation of properties of nanocrystalline diamond optical planar waveguides.

PubMed

Prajzler, Vaclav; Varga, Marian; Nekvindova, Pavla; Remes, Zdenek; Kromka, Alexander

2013-04-08

Diamond thin films have remarkable properties comparable with natural diamond. Because of these properties it is a very promising material for many various applications (sensors, heat sink, optical mirrors, chemical and radiation wear, cold cathodes, tissue engineering, etc.) In this paper we report about design, deposition and measurement of properties of optical planar waveguides fabricated from nanocrystalline diamond thin films. The nanocrystalline diamond planar waveguide was deposited by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and the structure of the deposited film was studied by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The design of the presented planar waveguides was realized on the bases of modified dispersion equation and was schemed for 632.8 nm, 964 nm, 1 310 nm and 1 550 nm wavelengths. Waveguiding properties were examined by prism coupling technique and it was found that the diamond based planar optical element guided one fundamental mode for all measured wavelengths. Values of the refractive indices of our NCD thin film measured at various wavelengths were almost the same as those of natural diamond.

Influence of Fe doping on the structural, optical and acetone sensing properties of sprayed ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prajapati, C.S.; Kushwaha, Ajay; Sahay, P.P., E-mail: dr_ppsahay@rediffmail.com

2013-07-15

Graphical abstract: All the films are found to be polycrystalline ZnO possessing hexagonal wurtzite structure. The intensities of all the peaks are diminished strongly in the Fe-doped films, indicating their lower crystallinity as compared to the undoped ZnO film. The average crystallite size decreases from 35.21 nm (undoped sample) to 15.43 nm (1 at% Fe-doped sample). - Highlights: • Fe-doped ZnO films show smaller crystallinity with crystallite size: 15–26 nm. • Optical band gap in ZnO films decreases on Fe doping. • Fe-doped films exhibit the normal dispersion for the wavelength range 450–600 nm. • PL spectra of the Fe-dopedmore » films show quenching of the broad green-orange emission. • Acetone response of the Fe-doped films increases considerably at 300 °C. - Abstract: The ZnO thin films (undoped and Fe-doped) deposited by chemical spray pyrolysis technique have been analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show that all the films possess hexagonal wurtzite structure of zinc oxide having crystallite sizes in the range 15–36 nm. On 1 at% Fe doping, the surface roughness of the film increases which favors the adsorption of atmospheric oxygen on the film surface and thereby increase in the gas response. Optical studies reveal that the band gap decreases due to creation of some defect energy states below the conduction band edge, arising out of the lattice disorder in the doped films. The refractive index of the films decreases on Fe doping and follows the Cauchy relation of normal dispersion. Among all the films examined, the 1 at% Fe-doped film exhibits the maximum response (∼72%) at 300 °C for 100 ppm concentration of acetone in air.« less

Acceptor-modulated optical enhancements and band-gap narrowing in ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Ali; Jin, Yuhua; Irfan, Muhammad; Jiang, Yijian

2018-03-01

Fermi-Dirac distribution for doped semiconductors and Burstein-Moss effect have been correlated first time to figure out the conductivity type of ZnO. Hall Effect in the Van der Pauw configuration has been applied to reconcile our theoretical estimations which evince our assumption. Band-gap narrowing has been found in all p-type samples, whereas blue Burstein-Moss shift has been recorded in the n-type films. Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) analysis shows that both p-type and n-type films have almost same granular-like structure with minor change in average grain size (˜ 6 nm to 10 nm) and surface roughness rms value 3 nm for thickness ˜315 nm which points that grain size and surface roughness did not play any significant role in order to modulate the conductivity type of ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to perform the structural, chemical and elemental analysis. Hexagonal wurtzite structure has been observed in all samples. The introduction of nitrogen reduces the crystallinity of host lattice. 97% transmittance in the visible range with 1.4 × 107 Ω-1cm-1 optical conductivity have been detected. High absorption value in the ultra-violet (UV) region reveals that NZOs thin films can be used to fabricate next-generation high-performance UV detectors.

Correlation of structural properties with energy transfer of Eu-doped ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel process and magnetron reactive sputtering

PubMed Central

Petersen, Julien; Brimont, Christelle; Gallart, Mathieu; Schmerber, Guy; Gilliot, Pierre; Ulhaq-Bouillet, Corinne; Rehspringer, Jean-Luc; Colis, Silviu; Becker, Claude; Slaoui, Abdelillah; Dinia, Aziz

2010-01-01

We investigated the structural and optical properties of Eu-doped ZnO thin films made by sol-gel technique and magnetron reactive sputtering on Si (100) substrate. The films elaborated by sol-gel process are polycrystalline while the films made by sputtering show a strongly textured growth along the c-axis. X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy analysis show that all samples are free of spurious phases. The presence of Eu2+ and Eu3+ into the ZnO matrix has been confirmed by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. This means that a small fraction of Europium substitutes Zn2+ as Eu2+ into the ZnO matrix; the rest of Eu being in the trivalent state. This is probably due to the formation of Eu2O3 oxide at the surface of ZnO particles. This is at the origin of the strong photoluminescence band observed at 2 eV, which is characteristic of the 5D0→7F2 Eu3+ transition. In addition the photoluminescence excitonic spectra showed efficient energy transfer from the ZnO matrix to the Eu3+ ion, which is qualitatively similar for both films although the sputtered films have a better structural quality compared to the sol-gel process grown films. PMID:20644657

IGZO thin film transistor biosensors functionalized with ZnO nanorods and antibodies.

PubMed

Shen, Yi-Chun; Yang, Chun-Hsu; Chen, Shu-Wen; Wu, Shou-Hao; Yang, Tsung-Lin; Huang, Jian-Jang

2014-04-15

We demonstrate a biosensor structure consisting of an IGZO (Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide) TFT (thin film transistor) and an extended sensing pad. The TFT acts as the sensing and readout device, while the sensing pad ensures the isolation of biological solution from the transistor channel layer, and meanwhile increases the sensing area. The biosensor is functionalized by first applying ZnO nanorods to increase the surface area for attracting electrical charges of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) antibodies. The device is able to selectively detect 36.2 fM of EGFR in the total protein solution of 0.1 ng/ml extracted from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Furthermore, the conjugation duration of the functionalized device with EGFR can be limited to 3 min, implying that the biosensor has the advantage for real-time detection. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Influence of different sol-gel system on the luminescence of nanocrystalline ZnO powder].

PubMed

Guo, Shu-xia; Zhang, Xing-tang; Zhang, Zhong-suo; Zhao, Hui-ling; Li, Yun-cai; Huang, Ya-bin; Du, Zu-liang

2005-08-01

ZnO nanopowders were prepared by the sol-gel techniques with two kinds of solvent. Microstructure of powder samples was examined by XRD and TEM. The results indicate that the two ZnO samples have the same crystal and energy band structure. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra in ultraviolet region are analogous, but their photoluminescence (PL) spectra in visible region are different. The reason is that the two kinds of solvent with different polarity result in the difference in configuration and distribution of the sample surface states in the two systems.

[Influence of different sol-gel systems on the luminescence of nanocrystalline ZnO powders].

PubMed

Guo, Shu-xia; Zhang, Zhong-suo; Zhang, Xing-tang; Zhao, Hui-ling; Li, Yun-cai; Huang, Ya-bin; Du, Zu-liang

2005-11-01

ZnO nanopowders were prepared by the sol-gel techniques with two kinds of solvent. Microstructure of the powdersamples was examined by XRD and TEM. The results indicate that two ZnO samples have the same crystal and energy band structure. Their photolurminescence (PL) spectra in the ultraviolet region are analogous, but their photoluminescence (PL) spectra in the visible region are different. The reason is that two kinds of solvent with different polarity result in the difference in configuration and distribution of the sample surface states in the two systems.

Influence of Sn doping on structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by cost effective sol-gel process.

PubMed

Vishwas, M; Narasimha Rao, K; Arjuna Gowda, K V; Chakradhar, R P S

2012-09-01

Tin (Sn) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were synthesized by sol-gel spin coating method using zinc acetate di-hydrate and tin chloride di-hydrate as the precursor materials. The films were deposited on glass and silicon substrates and annealed at different temperatures in air ambient. The agglomeration of grains was observed by the addition of Sn in ZnO film with an average grain size of 60 nm. The optical properties of the films were studied using UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. The optical band gap energies were estimated at different concentrations of Sn. The MOS capacitors were fabricated using Sn doped ZnO films. The capacitance-voltage (C-V), dissipation vs. voltage (D-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were studied and the electrical resistivity and dielectric constant were estimated. The porosity and surface area of the films were increased with the doping of Sn which makes these films suitable for opto-electronic applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Graphene as a thin-film catalyst booster: graphene-catalyst interface plays a critical role.

PubMed

Chae, Sieun; Jin Choi, Won; Sang Chae, Soo; Jang, Seunghun; Chang, Hyunju; Lee, Tae Il; Kim, Youn Sang; Lee, Jeong-O

2017-12-08

Due to its extreme thinness, graphene can transmit some surface properties of its underlying substrate, a phenomenon referred to as graphene transparency. Here we demonstrate the application of the transparency of graphene as a protector of thin-film catalysts and a booster of their catalytic efficiency. The photocatalytic degradation of dye molecules by ZnO thin films was chosen as a model system. A ZnO thin film coated with monolayer graphene showed greater catalytic efficiency and long-term stability than did bare ZnO. Interestingly, we found the catalytic efficiency of the graphene-coated ZnO thin film to depend critically on the nature of the bottom ZnO layer; graphene transferred to a relatively rough, sputter-coated ZnO thin film showed rather poor catalytic degradation of the dye molecules while a smooth sol-gel-synthesized ZnO covered with monolayer graphene showed enhanced catalytic degradation. Based on a systematic investigation of the interface between graphene and ZnO thin films, we concluded the transparency of graphene to be critically dependent on its interface with a supporting substrate. Graphene supported on an atomically flat substrate was found to efficiently transmit the properties of the substrate, but graphene suspended on a substrate with a rough nanoscale topography was completely opaque to the substrate properties. Our experimental observations revealed the morphology of the substrate to be a key factor affecting the transparency of graphene, and should be taken into account in order to optimally apply graphene as a protector of catalytic thin films and a booster of their catalysis.

Inverter Circuits using Pentacene and ZnO Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iechi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Yasuyuki; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2007-04-01

We report two types of integrated circuits based on a pentacene static-induction transistor (SIT), a pentacene thin-film transistor (TFT) and a zinc oxide (ZnO) TFT. The operating characteristics of a p-p inverter using pentacene SITs and a complementary inverter using a p-channel pentacene TFT and an n-channel ZnO TFT are described. The basic operation of logic circuits at a low voltage was achieved for the first time using the pentacene SIT inverter and complementary circuits with hybrid inorganic and organic materials. Furthermore, we describe the electrical properties of the ZnO films depending on sputtering conditions, and the complementary circuits using ZnO and pentacene TFTs.

Density-controlled, solution-based growth of ZnO nanorod arrays via layer-by-layer polymer thin films for enhanced field emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weintraub, Benjamin; Chang, Sehoon; Singamaneni, Srikanth; Han, Won Hee; Choi, Young Jin; Bae, Joonho; Kirkham, Melanie; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.; Deng, Yulin

2008-10-01

A simple, scalable, and cost-effective technique for controlling the growth density of ZnO nanorod arrays based on a layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte polymer film is demonstrated. The ZnO nanorods were synthesized using a low temperature (T = 90 °C), solution-based method. The density-control technique utilizes a polymer thin film pre-coated on the substrate to control the mass transport of the reactant to the substrate. The density-controlled arrays were investigated as potential field emission candidates. The field emission results revealed that an emitter density of 7 nanorods µm-2 and a tapered nanorod morphology generated a high field enhancement factor of 5884. This novel technique shows promise for applications in flat panel display technology.

Nanocrystalline-to-amorphous transition in nanolaminates grown by low temperature atomic layer deposition and related mechanical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghavan, R.; Bechelany, M.; Parlinska, M.; Frey, D.; Mook, W. M.; Beyer, A.; Michler, J.; Utke, I.

2012-05-01

We report on a comprehensive structural and nanoindentation study of nanolaminates of Al2O3 and ZnO synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD). By reducing the bilayer thickness from 50 nm to below 1 nm, the nanocrystal size could be controlled in the nanolaminate structure. The softer and more compliant response of the multilayers as compared to the single layers of Al2O3 and ZnO is attributed to the structural change from nanocrystalline to amorphous at smaller bilayer thicknesses. It is also shown that ALD is a unique technique for studying the inverse Hall-Petch softening mechanism (E. Voce and D. Tabor, J. Inst. Metals 79(12), 465 (1951)) related to grain size effects in nanomaterials.

Effect of ZnO seed layer on the morphology and optical properties of ZnO nanorods grown on GaN buffer layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nandi, R., E-mail: rajunandi@iitb.ac.in; Mohan, S., E-mail: rajunandi@iitb.ac.in; Major, S. S.

2014-04-24

ZnO nanorods were grown by chemical bath deposition on sputtered, polycrystalline GaN buffer layers with and without ZnO seed layer. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction show that the ZnO nanorods on GaN buffer layers are not vertically well aligned. Photoluminescence spectrum of ZnO nanorods grown on GaN buffer layer, however exhibits a much stronger near-band-edge emission and negligible defect emission, compared to the nanorods grown on ZnO buffer layer. These features are attributed to gallium incorporation at the ZnO-GaN interface. The introduction of a thin (25 nm) ZnO seed layer on GaN buffer layer significantly improves the morphology andmore » vertical alignment of ZnO-NRs without sacrificing the high optical quality of ZnO nanorods on GaN buffer layer. The presence of a thick (200 nm) ZnO seed layer completely masks the effect of the underlying GaN buffer layer on the morphology and optical properties of nanorods.« less

Optical Properties of Ar Ions Irradiated Nanocrystalline ZrC and ZrN Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, C.; Miller, K. H.; Makino, H.; Craciun, D.; Simeone, D.; Craciun, V.

2017-01-01

Thin nanocrystalline ZrC and ZrN films (less than 400 nanometers), grown on (100) Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 500 degrees Centigrade by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, were irradiated by 800 kiloelectronvolts Ar ion irradiation with fluences from 1 times 10(sup 14) atoms per square centimeter up to 2 times 10(sup 15) atoms per square centimeter. Optical reflectance data, acquired from as-deposited and irradiated films, in the range of 500-50000 per centimeter (0.06–6 electronvolts), was used to assess the effect of irradiation on the optical and electronic properties. Both in ZrC and ZrN films we observed that irradiation affects the optical properties of the films mostly at low frequencies, which is dominated by the free carriers response. In both materials, we found a significant reduction in the free carriers scattering rate, i.e. possible increase in mobility, at higher irradiation flux. This is consistent with our previous findings that irradiation affects the crystallite size and the micro-strain, but it does not induce major structural changes.

Final Report: Hot Carrier Collection in Thin Film Silicon with Tailored Nanocrystalline/Amorphous Structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, Reuben T.

This project developed, characterized, and perfected a new type of highly tunable nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) incorporating quantum confined silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs). A dual zone deposition process and system were developed and demonstrated. The depositions of SiNPs, the amorphous phase, and co-deposited material were characterized and optimized. Material design and interpretation of results were guided by new theoretical tools that examined both the electronic structure and carrier dynamics of this hybrid material. Heterojunction and p-i-n solar cells were demonstrated and characterized. Photo-thin-film-transistors allowed mobility to be studied as a function SiNP density in the films. Rapid (hot) transfer of carriers frommore » the amorphous matrix to the quantum confined SiNPs was observed and connected to reduced photo-degradation. The results carry quantum confined Si dots from a novelty to materials that can be harnessed for PV and optoelectronic applications. The growth process is broadly extendable with alternative amorphous matrices, novel layered structures, and alternative NPs easily accessible. The hot carrier effects hold the potential for third generation photovoltaics.« less

Li diffusion in epitaxial (11 $bar 2$ 0) ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, P.; Zhong, J.; Emanetoglu, N. W.; Chen, Y.; Muthukumar, S.; Lu, Y.

2004-06-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) possesses many interesting properties, such as a wide energy bandgap, large photoconductivity, and high excitonic binding energy. Chemical-vapor-deposition-grown ZnO films generally show n-type conductivity. A compensation doping process is needed to achieve piezoelectric ZnO, which is needed for surface acoustic wave (SAW), bulk acoustic wave, and micro-electromechanical system devices. In this work, a gas-phase diffusion process is developed to achieve piezoelectric (11bar 20) ZnO films. Comparative x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements confirmed that high crystal quality and good surface morphology were preserved after diffusion. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements show a broad band emission with a peak wavelength at ˜580 nm, which is associated with Li doping. The SAW, including both Rayleigh-wave and Love-wave modes, is achieved along different directions in piezoelectric (11bar 20) ZnO films grown on an r-plane sapphire substrate.

Piezoelectric thin films and their applications for electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshino, Yukio

2009-03-01

ZnO and AlN piezoelectric thin films have been studied for applications in bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator. This article introduces methods of forming ZnO and AlN piezoelectric thin films by radio frequency sputtering and applications of BAW resonators considering the relationship between the crystallinity of piezoelectric thin films and the characteristics of the BAW resonators. Using ZnO thin films, BAW resonators were fabricated for a contour mode at 3.58 MHz and thickness modes from 200 MHz to 5 GHz. The ZnO thin films were combined with various materials, substrates, and thin films to minimize the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF). The minimum TCF of BAW resonators was approximately 2 ppm/°C in the range -20 to 80 °C. The electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2) in a 1.9 GHz BAW resonator was 6.9%. Using AlN thin films, 5-20 GHz BAW resonators with an ultrathin membrane were realized. The membrane thickness of a 20 GHz BAW resonator was about 200 nm, k2 was 6.1%, and the quality factor (Q) was about 280. Q decreased with increasing resonant frequency. The value of k2 is almost the same for 5-20 GHz resonators. This result could be obtained by improving the thickness uniformity, by controlling internal stress of thin films, and by controlling the crystallinity of AlN piezoelectric thin film.

Characteristics of W Doped Nanocrystalline Carbon Films Prepared by Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering.

PubMed

Park, Yong Seob; Park, Chul Min; Kim, Nam-Hoon; Kim, Jae-Moon

2016-05-01

Nanocrystalline tungsten doped carbon (WC) films were prepared by unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Tungsten was used as the doping material in carbon thin films with the aim of application as a contact strip in an electric railway. The structural, physical, and electrical properties of the fabricated WC films with various DC bias voltages were investigated. The films had a uniform and smooth surface. Hardness and frication characteristics of the films were improved, and the resistivity and sheet resistance decreased with increasing negative DC bias voltage. These results are associated with the nanocrystalline WC phase and sp(2) clusters in carbon networks increased by ion bombardment enhanced with increasing DC bias voltage. Consequently, the increase of sp(2) clusters containing WC nanocrystalline in the carbon films is attributed to the improvement in the physical and electrical properties.

ZnO deposition on metal substrates: Relating fabrication, morphology, and wettability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaini, Sara S.; Kronawitter, Coleman X.; Carey, Van P.; Mao, Samuel S.

2013-05-01

It is not common practice to deposit thin films on metal substrates, especially copper, which is a common heat exchanger metal and practical engineering material known for its heat transfer properties. While single crystal substrates offer ideal surfaces with uniform structure for compatibility with oxide deposition, metallic surfaces needed for industrial applications exhibit non-idealities that complicate the fabrication of oxide nanostructure arrays. The following study explored different ZnO fabrication techniques to deposit a (super)hydrophobic thin film of ZnO on a metal substrate, specifically copper, in order to explore its feasibility as an enhanced condensing surface. ZnO was selected for its non-toxicity, ability to be made (super)hydrophobic with hierarchical roughness, and its photoinduced hydrophilicity characteristic, which could be utilized to pattern it to have both hydrophobic-hydrophilic regions. We investigated the variation of ZnO's morphology and wetting state, using SEMs and sessile drop contact angle measurements, as a function of different fabrication techniques: sputtering, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), electrodeposition and annealing Zn. We successfully fabricated (super)hydrophobic ZnO on a mirror finish, commercially available copper substrate using the scalable electrodeposition technique. PLD for ZnO deposition did not prove viable, as the ZnO samples on metal substrates were hydrophilic and the process does not lend itself to scalability. The annealed Zn sheets did not exhibit consistent wetting state results.

Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.

1998-01-01

A method and system for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip.

Significant mobility enhancement in extremely thin highly doped ZnO films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Look, David C., E-mail: david.look@wright.edu; Wyle Laboratories, Inc., 2601 Mission Point Blvd., Dayton, Ohio 45431; Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate, 2241 Avionics Circle, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433

2015-04-13

Highly Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) films of thicknesses d = 5, 25, 50, and 300 nm, grown on 160-nm ZnO buffer layers by molecular beam epitaxy, had 294-K Hall-effect mobilities μ{sub H} of 64.1, 43.4, 37.0, and 34.2 cm{sup 2}/V-s, respectively. This extremely unusual ordering of μ{sub H} vs d is explained by the existence of a very high-mobility Debye tail in the ZnO, arising from the large Fermi-level mismatch between the GZO and the ZnO. Scattering theory in conjunction with Poisson analysis predicts a Debye-tail mobility of 206 cm{sup 2}/V-s at the interface (z = d), falling to 58 cm{sup 2}/V-s at z = d + 2 nm. Excellent fits to μ{sub H}more » vs d and sheet concentration n{sub s} vs d are obtained with no adjustable parameters.« less

Silver film on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support: Photocatalytic and antimicrobial ability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vukoje, Ivana D., E-mail: ivanav@vinca.rs; Tomašević-Ilić, Tijana D., E-mail: tommashev@gmail.com; Zarubica, Aleksandra R., E-mail: zarubica2000@yahoo.com

Highlights: • Simple photocatalytic rout for deposition of Ag on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films. • High antibactericidal efficiency of deposited Ag on TiO{sub 2} support. • Improved photocatalytic performance of TiO{sub 2} films in the presence of deposited Ag. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films were prepared on glass slides by the dip coating technique using colloidal solutions consisting of 4.5 nm particles as a precursor. Photoirradiation of nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} film modified with alanine that covalently binds to the surface of TiO{sub 2} and at the same time chelate silver ions induced formation of metallic silver film. Optical andmore » morphological properties of thin silver films on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support were studied by absorption spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Improvement of photocatalytic performance of nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} films after deposition of silver was observed in degradation reaction of crystal violet. Antimicrobial ability of deposited silver films on nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} support was tested in dark as a function of time against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The silver films ensured maximum cells reduction of both bacteria, while the fungi reduction reached satisfactory 98.45% after 24 h of contact.« less

Electrical characteristics and density of states of thin-film transistors based on sol-gel derived ZnO channel layers with different annealing temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S.; Mirkhani, V.; Yapabandara, K.; Cheng, R.; Hernandez, G.; Khanal, M. P.; Sultan, M. S.; Uprety, S.; Shen, L.; Zou, S.; Xu, P.; Ellis, C. D.; Sellers, J. A.; Hamilton, M. C.; Niu, G.; Sk, M. H.; Park, M.

2018-04-01

We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of bottom gate thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on a sol-gel derived ZnO channel layer. The effect of annealing of ZnO active channel layers on the electrical characteristics of the ZnO TFTs was systematically investigated. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate that the crystal quality of the ZnO improves with increasing annealing temperature. Both the device turn-on voltage (Von) and threshold voltage (VT) shift to a positive voltage with increasing annealing temperature. As the annealing temperature is increased, both the subthreshold slope and the interfacial defect density (Dit) decrease. The field effect mobility (μFET) increases with annealing temperature, peaking at 800 °C and decreases upon further temperature increase. An improvement in transfer and output characteristics was observed with increasing annealing temperature. However, when the annealing temperature reaches 900 °C, the TFTs demonstrate a large degradation in both transfer and output characteristics, which is possibly produced by non-continuous coverage of the film. By using the temperature-dependent field effect measurements, the localized sub-gap density of states (DOSs) for ZnO TFTs with different annealing temperatures were determined. The DOSs for the subthreshold regime decrease with increasing annealing temperature from 600 °C to 800 °C and no substantial change was observed with further temperature increase to 900 °C.

Optical properties of PVA capped nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin film synthesized by chemical bath deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogoi, Lipika; Chaliha, Sumbit; Saikia, Prasanta Kumar

2018-04-01

A simple cost effective Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique has been employed for the preparation of nanocrystalline Cd1-xZnxS thin films in an alkaline medium at 333K for 120 minutes in polymer matrix. Optical parameters such as transmittance, optical band gap, reflectance, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films was made using UV-Visible spectrophotometer. UV-spectroscopy study shows a good transmittance of 80-88% in visible wavelength region for the deposited films. The direct band gap energy (Eg) for the deposited films ranged from 3.5 to 3.7 eV depending on attribution of Zn into CdS. It shows a blue shift with respect to bulk value. A increase in transmittance and band gap is found with the increase of volume of Zn content. Cd1-xZnxS thin films exhibit the least reflectance for all the wavelengths in the visible region. The refractive indices (n) of the Cd1-xZnxS films were found in the range 1.38 to 2.94 in the visible region.

Efficient acetone sensor based on Ni-doped ZnO nanostructures prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darunkar, Swapnil S.; Acharya, Smita A.

2018-05-01

Ni-doped ZnO thin film was prepared by home-built spray pyrolysis unit for the detection of acetone at 300°C. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of as-developed thin film of undoped ZnO exhibits large quantity of spherical, non-agglomerated particles with uniform size while in Ni-doped ZnO, particles are quite non-uniform in nature. The particle size estimated by using image J are obtained to be around 20-200 nm. Ni-doping effect on band gaps are determined by UV-vis optical spectroscopy and band gap of Ni-doped ZnO is found to be 3.046 eV. Nickel doping exceptionally enhances the sensing response of ZnO as compared to undoped ZnO system. The major role of the Ni-doping is to create more active sites for chemisorbed oxygen on the surface of sensor and correspondingly, to improve the sensing response. The 6 at.% of Ni-doped ZnO exhibits the highest response (92%) for 100 ppm acetone at 300 °C.

Effect of time varying phosphorus implantation on optoelectronics properties of RF sputtered ZnO thin-films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murkute, Punam; Ghadi, Hemant; Saha, Shantanu; Chavan, Vinayak; Chakrabarti, Subhananda

2018-03-01

ZnO has potential application in the field of short wavelength devices like LED's, laser diodes, UV detectors etc, because of its wide band gap (3.34 eV) and high exciton binding energy (60 meV). ZnO possess N-type conductivity due to presence of defects arising from oxygen and zinc interstitial vacancies. In order to achieve P-type or intrinsic carrier concentration an implantation study is preferred. In this report, we have varied phosphorous implantation time and studied its effect on optical as well structural properties of RF sputtered ZnO thin-films. Implantation was carried out using Plasma Immersion ion implantation technique for 10 and 20 s. These films were further annealed at 900°C for 10 s in oxygen ambient to activate phosphorous dopants. Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra measured two distinct peaks at 3.32 and 3.199 eV for 20 s implanted sample annealed at 900°C. Temperature dependent PL measurement shows slightly blue shift in peak position from 18 K to 300 K. 3.199 eV peak can be attributed to donoracceptor pair (DAP) emission and 3.32 eV peak corresponds to conduction-band-to-acceptor (eA0) transition. High resolution x-ray diffraction revels dominant (002) peak from all samples. Increasing implantation time resulted in low peak intensity suggesting a formation of implantation related defects. Compression in C-axis with implantation time indicates incorporation of phosphorus in the formed film. Improvement in surface quality was observed from 20 s implanted sample which annealed at 900°C.

ZnO thin film piezoelectric micromachined microphone with symmetric composite vibrating diaphragm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junhong; Wang, Chenghao; Ren, Wei; Ma, Jun

2017-05-01

Residual stress is an important factor affecting the sensitivity of piezoelectric micromachined microphone. A symmetric composite vibrating diaphragm was adopted in the micro electro mechanical systems piezoelectric microphone to decrease the residual stress and improve the sensitivity of microphone in this paper. The ZnO film was selected as piezoelectric materials of microphone for its higher piezoelectric coefficient d 31 and lower relative dielectric constant. The thickness optimization of piezoelectric film on square diaphragm is difficult to be fulfilled by analytic method. To optimize the thickness of ZnO films, the stress distribution in ZnO film was analyzed by finite element method and the average stress in different thickness of ZnO films was given. The ZnO films deposited using dc magnetron sputtering exhibits a densely packed structure with columnar crystallites preferentially oriented along (002) plane. The diaphragm of microphone fabricated by micromachining techniques is flat and no wrinkling at corners, and the sensitivity of microphone is higher than 1 mV Pa-1. These results indicate the diaphragm has lower residual stress.

Method for the preparation of nanocrystalline diamond thin films

DOEpatents

Gruen, D.M.; Krauss, A.R.

1998-06-30

A method and system are disclosed for manufacturing nanocrystalline diamond film on a substrate such as field emission tips. The method involves forming a carbonaceous vapor, providing a gas stream of argon, hydrocarbon and possibly hydrogen, and combining the gas with the carbonaceous vapor, passing the combined carbonaceous vapor and gas carrier stream into a chamber, forming a plasma in the chamber causing fragmentation of the carbonaceous vapor and deposition of a diamond film on the field emission tip. 40 figs.

Effect of growth temperature on the epitaxial growth of ZnO on GaN by ALD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Särkijärvi, Suvi; Sintonen, Sakari; Tuomisto, Filip; Bosund, Markus; Suihkonen, Sami; Lipsanen, Harri

2014-07-01

We report on the epitaxial growth of ZnO on GaN template by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Diethylzinc (DEZn) and water vapour (H2O) were used as precursors. The structure and the quality of the grown ZnO layers were studied with scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) measurements and positron annihilation spectroscopy. The ZnO films were confirmed epitaxial, and the film quality was found to improve with increasing deposition temperature in the vicinity of the threshold temperature of two dimensional growth. We conclude that high quality ZnO thin films can be grown by ALD. Interestingly only separate Zn-vacancies were observed in the films, although ZnO thin films typically contain fairly high density of surface pits and vacancy clusters.

Role of low O 2 pressure and growth temperature on electrical transport of PLD grown ZnO thin films on Si substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandis, Ch.; Brilis, N.; Tsamakis, D.; Ali, H. A.; Krishnamoorthy, S.; Iliadis, A. A.

2006-06-01

Undoped ZnO thin films have been grown on (100) Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The effect of growth parameters such as temperature, O 2 partial pressure and laser fluence on the structural and electrical properties of the films has been investigated. It is shown that the well-known native n-type conductivity, attributed to the activation of hydrogenic donor states, exhibits a conversion from n-type to p-type when the O 2 partial pressure is reduced from 10 -4 to 10 -7 Torr at growth temperatures lower than 400 °C. The p-type conductivity could be attributed to the dominant role of the acceptor Zn vacancies for ZnO films grown at very low O 2 pressures.

ZnO Schottky barriers and Ohmic contacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brillson, Leonard J.; Lu, Yicheng

2011-06-01

ZnO has emerged as a promising candidate for optoelectronic and microelectronic applications, whose development requires greater understanding and control of their electronic contacts. The rapid pace of ZnO research over the past decade has yielded considerable new information on the nature of ZnO interfaces with metals. Work on ZnO contacts over the past decade has now been carried out on high quality material, nearly free from complicating factors such as impurities, morphological and native point defects. Based on the high quality bulk and thin film crystals now available, ZnO exhibits a range of systematic interface electronic structure that can be understood at the atomic scale. Here we provide a comprehensive review of Schottky barrier and ohmic contacts including work extending over the past half century. For Schottky barriers, these results span the nature of ZnO surface charge transfer, the roles of surface cleaning, crystal quality, chemical interactions, and defect formation. For ohmic contacts, these studies encompass the nature of metal-specific interactions, the role of annealing, multilayered contacts, alloyed contacts, metallization schemes for state-of-the-art contacts, and their application to n-type versus p-type ZnO. Both ZnO Schottky barriers and ohmic contacts show a wide range of phenomena and electronic behavior, which can all be directly tied to chemical and structural changes on an atomic scale.

High Performance Flexible Actuator of Urchin-Like ZnO Nanostructure/Polyvinylenefluoride Hybrid Thin Film with Graphene Electrodes for Acoustic Generator and Analyzer.

PubMed

Cheong, Oug Jae; Lee, James S; Kim, Jae Hyun; Jang, Jyongsik

2016-05-01

A bass frequency response enhanced flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based thin film acoustic actuator is successfully fabricated. High concentrations of various zinc oxide (ZnO) is embedded in PVDF matrix, enhancing the β phase content and the dielectric property of the composite thin film. ZnO acts as a nucleation agent for the crystallization of PVDF. A chemical vapor deposition grown graphene is used as electrodes, enabling high electron mobility for the distortion free acoustic signals. The frequency response of the fabricated acoustic actuator is studied as a function of the film thickness and filler content. The optimized film has a thickness of 80 μm with 30 wt% filler content and shows 72% and 42% frequency response enhancement in bass and midrange compared to the commercial PVDF, respectively. Also, the total harmonic distortion decreases to 82% and 74% in the bass and midrange regions, respectively. Furthermore, the composite film shows a promising potential for microphone applications. Most of all, it is demonstrated that acoustic actuator performance is strongly influenced by degree of PVDF crystalline. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photo-induced self-cleaning and sterilizing activity of Sm3+ doped ZnO nanomaterials.

PubMed

Saif, M; Hafez, H; Nabeel, A I

2013-01-01

Highly active samarium doped zinc oxide self-cleaning and biocidal surfaces (x mol% Sm(3+)/ZnO where x=0, 1, 2 and 4 mol%) with crystalline porous structures were synthesized by hydrothermal method. Sm(3+)/ZnO thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS), UV-visible diffuse reflectance and fluorescence (FL) spectroscopy. The combination between doping and hydrothermal treatments significantly altered the morphology of ZnO into rod and plate-like nanoshapes structure and enhanced its absorption and emission of ultraviolet radiation. The photo-activity in term of quantitative determination of the active oxidative species (()OH) produced on the thin film surfaces was evaluated using fluorescent probe method. The results showed that, the hydrothermally treated 2.0 mol% Sm(3+)/ZnO film (S2) is the highly active one. The optical, structural, morphology and photo-activity properties of the highly active thin film (S2) make it promising surface for self-cleaning and sterilizing applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen plasma treatment of very thin p-type nanocrystalline Si films grown by RF-PECVD in the presence of B(CH3)3

PubMed Central

Filonovich, Sergej Alexandrovich; Águas, Hugo; Busani, Tito; Vicente, António; Araújo, Andreia; Gaspar, Diana; Vilarigues, Marcia; Leitão, Joaquim; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo

2012-01-01

We have characterized the structure and electrical properties of p-type nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and explored optimization methods of such layers for potential applications in thin-film solar cells. Particular attention was paid to the characterization of very thin (∼20 nm) films. The cross-sectional morphology of the layers was studied by fitting the ellipsometry spectra using a multilayer model. The results suggest that the crystallization process in a high-pressure growth regime is mostly realized through a subsurface mechanism in the absence of the incubation layer at the substrate-film interface. Hydrogen plasma treatment of a 22-nm-thick film improved its electrical properties (conductivity increased more than ten times) owing to hydrogen insertion and Si structure rearrangements throughout the entire thickness of the film. PMID:27877504

Structural, morphological and optical studies of ripple-structured ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navin, Kumar; Kurchania, Rajnish

2015-11-01

Ripple-structured ZnO thin films were prepared on Si (100) substrate by sol-gel spin-coating method with different heating rates during preheating process and finally sintered at 500 °C for 2 h in ambient condition. The structural, morphological and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the nanostructured films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and PL spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed that films have hexagonal wurtzite structure and texture coefficient increases along (002) plane with preheating rate. The faster heating rate produced higher crystallization and larger average crystallite size. The AFM and SEM images indicate that all the films have uniformly distributed ripple structure with skeletal branches. The number of ripples increases, while the rms roughness, amplitude and correlation length of the ripple structure decrease with preheating rates. The PL spectra show the presence of different defects in the structure. The ultraviolet emission improved with the heating rate which indicates its better crystallinity.

Effect of sintering on optical, structural and photoluminescence properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel process.

PubMed

Vishwas, M; Narasimha Rao, K; Arjuna Gowda, K V; Chakradhar, R P S

2010-09-15

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been deposited on glass substrates via sol-gel technique using zinc acetate dihydrate as precursor by spin coating of the sol at 2000 rpm. Effects of annealing temperature on optical, structural and photo luminescence properties of the deposited ZnO films have been investigated. The phase transition from amorphous to polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure was observed at an annealing temperature of 400 degrees C. An average transmittance of 87% in the visible region has been obtained at room temperature. The optical transmittance has slightly increased with increase of annealing temperature. The band gap energy was estimated by Tauc's method and found to be 3.22 eV at room temperature. The optical band gap energy has decreased with increasing annealing temperature. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity increased with annealing temperature up to 200 degrees C and decreased at 300 degrees C. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques. PMID:23448090

Fabrication and properties of ZnO/GaN heterostructure nanocolumnar thin film on Si (111) substrate.

PubMed

Wei, Xianqi; Zhao, Ranran; Shao, Minghui; Xu, Xijin; Huang, Jinzhao

2013-02-28

Zinc oxide thin films have been obtained on bare and GaN buffer layer decorated Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. GaN buffer layer was achieved by a two-step method. The structure, surface morphology, composition, and optical properties of these thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, infrared absorption spectra, and photoluminiscence (PL) spectra, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the flower-like grains were presented on the surface of ZnO thin films grown on GaN/Si (111) substrate, while the ZnO thin films grown on Si (111) substrate show the morphology of inclination column. PL spectrum reveals that the ultraviolet emission efficiency of ZnO thin film on GaN buffer layer is high, and the defect emission of ZnO thin film derived from Zni and Vo is low. The results demonstrate that the existence of GaN buffer layer can greatly improve the ZnO thin film on the Si (111) substrate by PLD techniques.

Internal stress induced natural self-chemisorption of ZnO nanostructured films

PubMed Central

Chi, Po-Wei; Su, Chih-Wei; Wei, Da-Hua

2017-01-01

The energetic particles bombardment can produce large internal stress in the zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film, and it can be used to intentionally modify the surface characteristics of ZnO films. In this article, we observed that the internal stress increased from −1.62 GPa to −0.33 GPa, and the naturally wettability of the textured ZnO nanostructured films changed from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. According to analysis of surface chemical states, the naturally controllable wetting behavior can be attributed to hydrocarbon adsorbates on the nanostructured film surface, which is caused by tunable internal stress. On the other hand, the interfacial water molecules near the surface of ZnO nanostructured films have been identified as hydrophobic hydrogen structure by Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection. Moreover, a remarkable near-band-edge emission peak shifting also can be observed in PL spectra due to the transition of internal stress state. Furthermore, our present ZnO nanostructured films also exhibited excellent transparency over 80% with a wise surface wetting switched from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states after exposing in ultraviolet (UV) surroundings. Our work demonstrated that the internal stress of the thin film not only induced natural wettability transition of ZnO nanostructured films, but also in turn affected the surface properties such as surface chemisorption. PMID:28233827

Internal stress induced natural self-chemisorption of ZnO nanostructured films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Po-Wei; Su, Chih-Wei; Wei, Da-Hua

2017-02-01

The energetic particles bombardment can produce large internal stress in the zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film, and it can be used to intentionally modify the surface characteristics of ZnO films. In this article, we observed that the internal stress increased from -1.62 GPa to -0.33 GPa, and the naturally wettability of the textured ZnO nanostructured films changed from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. According to analysis of surface chemical states, the naturally controllable wetting behavior can be attributed to hydrocarbon adsorbates on the nanostructured film surface, which is caused by tunable internal stress. On the other hand, the interfacial water molecules near the surface of ZnO nanostructured films have been identified as hydrophobic hydrogen structure by Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection. Moreover, a remarkable near-band-edge emission peak shifting also can be observed in PL spectra due to the transition of internal stress state. Furthermore, our present ZnO nanostructured films also exhibited excellent transparency over 80% with a wise surface wetting switched from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states after exposing in ultraviolet (UV) surroundings. Our work demonstrated that the internal stress of the thin film not only induced natural wettability transition of ZnO nanostructured films, but also in turn affected the surface properties such as surface chemisorption.

Internal stress induced natural self-chemisorption of ZnO nanostructured films.

PubMed

Chi, Po-Wei; Su, Chih-Wei; Wei, Da-Hua

2017-02-24

The energetic particles bombardment can produce large internal stress in the zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film, and it can be used to intentionally modify the surface characteristics of ZnO films. In this article, we observed that the internal stress increased from -1.62 GPa to -0.33 GPa, and the naturally wettability of the textured ZnO nanostructured films changed from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. According to analysis of surface chemical states, the naturally controllable wetting behavior can be attributed to hydrocarbon adsorbates on the nanostructured film surface, which is caused by tunable internal stress. On the other hand, the interfacial water molecules near the surface of ZnO nanostructured films have been identified as hydrophobic hydrogen structure by Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection. Moreover, a remarkable near-band-edge emission peak shifting also can be observed in PL spectra due to the transition of internal stress state. Furthermore, our present ZnO nanostructured films also exhibited excellent transparency over 80% with a wise surface wetting switched from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states after exposing in ultraviolet (UV) surroundings. Our work demonstrated that the internal stress of the thin film not only induced natural wettability transition of ZnO nanostructured films, but also in turn affected the surface properties such as surface chemisorption.

Effect of growth parameters on crystallinity and properties of ZnO films grown by plasma assisted MOCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Losurdo, M.; Giangregorio, M. M.; Sacchetti, A.; Capezzuto, P.; Bruno, G.; Malandrino, G.; Fragalà, I. L.

2007-07-01

Thin films of ZnO have been grown by plasma assisted metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (PA-MOCVD) using a 13.56 MHz O 2 plasma and the Zn(TTA)•tmed (HTTA=2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, TMED=N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylendiamine) precursor. The effects of growth parameters such as the plasma activation, the substrate, the surface temperature, and the ratio of fluxes of precursors on the structure, morphology, and optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films have been studied. Under a very low plasma power of 20 W, c-axis oriented hexagonal ZnO thin films are grown on hexagonal sapphire (0001), cubic Si(001) and amorphous quartz substrates. The substrate temperature mainly controls grain size.

The low coherence Fabry-Pérot interferometer with diamond and ZnO layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majchrowicz, D.; Den, W.; Hirsch, M.

2016-09-01

The authors present a fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometer built with the application of diamond and zinc oxide (ZnO) thin layers. Thin ZnO films were deposited on the tip of a standard telecommunication single-mode optical fiber (SMF- 28) while the diamond layer was grown on the plate of silicon substrate. Investigated ZnO layers were fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and the diamond films were deposited using Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (μPE CVD) system. Different thickness of layers was examined. The measurements were performed for the fiber-optic Fabry-Pérot interferometer working in the reflective mode. Spectra were registered for various thicknesses of ZnO layer and various length of the air cavity. As a light source, two superluminescent diodes (SLD) with central wavelength of 1300 nm and 1550 nm were used in measurement set-up.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes coated with ZnO by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Partha P.; Gilshteyn, Evgenia; Jiang, Hua; Timmermans, Marina; Kaskela, Antti; Tolochko, Oleg V.; Kurochkin, Alexey V.; Karppinen, Maarit; Nisula, Mikko; Kauppinen, Esko I.; Nasibulin, Albert G.

2016-12-01

The possibility of ZnO deposition on the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with the help of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique was successfully demonstrated. The utilization of pristine SWCNTs as a support resulted in a non-uniform deposition of ZnO in the form of nanoparticles. To achieve uniform ZnO coating, the SWCNTs first needed to be functionalized by treating the samples in a controlled ozone atmosphere. The uniformly ZnO coated SWCNTs were used to fabricate UV sensing devices. An UV irradiation of the ZnO coated samples turned them from hydrophobic to hydrophilic behaviour. Furthermore, thin films of the ZnO coated SWCNTs allowed us switch p-type field effect transistors made of pristine SWCNTs to have ambipolar characteristics.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes coated with ZnO by atomic layer deposition.

PubMed

Pal, Partha P; Gilshteyn, Evgenia; Jiang, Hua; Timmermans, Marina; Kaskela, Antti; Tolochko, Oleg V; Karppinen, Maarit; Nisula, Mikko; Kauppinen, Esko I; Nasibulin, Albert G

2016-12-02

The possibility of ZnO deposition on the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with the help of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique was successfully demonstrated. The utilization of pristine SWCNTs as a support resulted in a non-uniform deposition of ZnO in the form of nanoparticles. To achieve uniform ZnO coating, the SWCNTs first needed to be functionalized by treating the samples in a controlled ozone atmosphere. The uniformly ZnO coated SWCNTs were used to fabricate UV sensing devices. An UV irradiation of the ZnO coated samples turned them from hydrophobic to hydrophilic behaviour. Furthermore, thin films of the ZnO coated SWCNTs allowed us switch p-type field effect transistors made of pristine SWCNTs to have ambipolar characteristics.

Mediator-free interaction of glucose oxidase, as model enzyme for immobilization, with Al-doped and undoped ZnO thin films laser-deposited on polycarbonate supports.

PubMed

V T K P, Fidal; Inguva, Saikumar; Krishnamurthy, Satheesh; Marsili, Enrico; Mosnier, Jean-Paul; T S, Chandra

2017-01-01

Al doped and undoped ZnO thin films were deposited by pulsed-laser deposition on polycarbonate sheets. The films were characterized by optical transmission, Hall effect measurement, XRD and SEM. Optical transmission and surface reflectometry studies showed good transparency with thicknesses ∼100nm and surface roughness of 10nm. Hall effect measurements showed that the sheet carrier concentration was -1.44×10 15 cm -2 for AZO and -6×10 14 cm -2 for ZnO. The films were then modified by drop-casting glucose oxidase (GOx) without the use of any mediators. Higher protein concentration was observed on ZnO as compared to AZO with higher specific activity for ZnO (0.042Umg -1 ) compared to AZO (0.032Umg -1 ), and was in agreement with cyclic voltemmetry (CV). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggested that the protein was bound by dipole interactions between AZO lattice oxygen and the amino group of the enzyme. Chronoamperometry showed sensitivity of 5.5μAmM -1 cm -2 towards glucose for GOx/AZO and 2.2μAmM -1 cm -2 for GOx/ZnO. The limit of detection (LoD) was 167μM of glucose for GOx/AZO, as compared to 360μM for GOx/ZnO. The linearity was 0.28-28mM for GOx/AZO whereas it was 0.6-28mM for GOx/ZnO with a response time of 10s. Possibly due to higher enzyme loading, the decrease of impedance in presence of glucose was larger for GOx/ZnO as compared to GOx/AZO in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Analyses with clinical blood serum samples showed that the systems had good reproducibility and accuracy. The characteristics of novel ZnO and AZO thin films with GOx as a model enzyme, should prove useful for the future fabrication of inexpensive, highly sensitive, disposable electrochemical biosensors for high throughput diagnostics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of surfactant and annealing temperature on optical properties of sol-gel derived nano-crystalline TiO2 thin films.

PubMed

Vishwas, M; Sharma, Sudhir Kumar; Rao, K Narasimha; Mohan, S; Gowda, K V Arjuna; Chakradhar, R P S

2010-03-01

Titanium dioxide thin films have been synthesized by sol-gel spin coating technique on glass and silicon substrates with and without surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG). XRD and SEM results confirm the presence of nano-crystalline (anatase) phase at an annealing temperature of 300 degrees C. The influence of surfactant and annealing temperature on optical properties of TiO(2) thin films has been studied. Optical constants and film thickness were estimated by Swanepoel's (envelope) method and by ellipsometric measurements in the visible spectral range. The optical transmittance and reflectance were found to decrease with an increase in PEG percentage. Refractive index of the films decreased and film thickness increased with the increase in percentage of surfactant. The refractive index of the un-doped TiO(2) films was estimated at different annealing temperatures and it has increased with the increasing annealing temperature. The optical band gap of pure TiO(2) films was estimated by Tauc's method at different annealing temperature. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanostructured hybrid ZnO thin films for energy conversion

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

We report on hybrid films based on ZnO/organic dye prepared by electrodeposition using tetrasulfonated copper phthalocyanines (TS-CuPc) and Eosin-Y (EoY). Both the morphology and porosity of hybrid ZnO films are highly dependent on the type of dyes used in the synthesis. High photosensitivity was observed for ZnO/EoY films, while a very weak photoresponse was obtained for ZnO/TS-CuPc films. Despite a higher absorption coefficient of TS-CuPc than EoY, in ZnO/EoY hybrid films, the excited photoelectrons between the EoY levels can be extracted through ZnO, and the porosity of ZnO/EoY can also be controlled. PMID:21711909

Preparation, structural and luminescent properties of nanocrystalline ZnO films doped Ag by close space sublimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomchenko, Viktoriya; Mazin, Mikhail; Sopinskyy, Mykola; Lytvyn, Oksana; Dan'ko, Viktor; Piryatinskii, Yurii; Demydiuk, Pavlo

2018-05-01

The simple way for silver doping of ZnO films is presented. The ZnO films were prepared by reactive rf-magnetron sputtering on silicon and sapphire substrates. Ag doping is carried out by sublimation of the Ag source located at close space at atmospheric pressure in air. Then the ZnO and ZnO-Ag films were annealed in wet media. The microstructure and optical properties of the films were compared and studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL). XRD results indicated that all the ZnO films have a polycrystalline hexagonal structure and a preferred orientation with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. The annealing and Ag doping promote increasing grain's sizes and modification of grain size distribution. The effect of substrate temperature, substrate type, Ag doping and post-growth annealing of the films was studied by PL spectroscopy. The effect of Ag doping was obvious and identical for all the films, namely the wide visible bands of PL spectra are suppressed by Ag doping. The intensity of ultraviolet band increased 15 times as compared to their reference films on sapphire substrate. The ultraviolet/visible emission ratio was 20. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) for a 380 nm band was 14 nm, which is comparable with that of epitaxial ZnO. The data implies the high quality of ZnO-Ag films. Possible mechanisms to enhance UV emission are discussed.

Boron Doped Nanocrystalline Film with Improved Work Function as a Buffer Layer in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells.

PubMed

Park, Jinjoo; Shin, Chonghoon; Park, Hyeongsik; Jung, Junhee; Lee, Youn-Jung; Bong, Sungjae; Dao, Vinh Ai; Balaji, Nagarajan; Yi, Junsin

2015-03-01

We investigated thin film silicon solar cells with boron doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon/ hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide [p-type nc-Si:H/a-SiOx:H] layer. First, we researched the bandgap engineering of diborane (B2H6) doped wide bandgap hydrogenated nanocryslline silicon (p-type nc-Si:H) films, which have excellent electrical properties of high dark conductivity, and low activation energy. The films prepared with lower doping ratio and higher hydrogen dilution ratio had higher optical gap (Eg), with higher dark conductivity (σ(d)), and lower activation energy (Ea). We controlled Eg from 2.10 eV to 1.75 eV, with σ(d) from 1.1 S/cm to 7.59 x 10(-3) S/cm, and Ea from 0.040 eV to 0.128 eV. Next, we focused on the fabrication of thin film silicon solar cells. By inserting p-type nc-Si:H film into the thin film silicon solar cells, we achieved a remarkable increase in the built-in potential from 0.803 eV to 0.901 eV. By forming p-type nc-Si:H film between SnO2:F/ZnO:Al (30 nm) and p-type a-SiOx:H layer, the solar cell properties of open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), and efficiency (η) were improved by 3.7%, 9.2%, and 9.8%, respectively.

Effect Of Chromium Underlayer On The Properties Of Nano-Crystalline Diamond Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garratt, Elias; AlFaify, Salem; Yoshitake, T.

2013-01-11

This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. The composition, structure and microstructure of the deposited layers were analyzed using non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Raman Spectroscopy, Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Diffraction and Atomic Force Microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphiticmore » phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analysis determined consistency between sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.« less

Effect of chromium underlayer on the properties of nano-crystalline diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, E.; AlFaify, S.; Yoshitake, T.; Katamune, Y.; Bowden, M.; Nandasiri, M.; Ghantasala, M.; Mancini, D. C.; Thevuthasan, S.; Kayani, A.

2013-01-01

This paper investigated the effect of chromium underlayer on the structure, microstructure, and composition of the nano-crystalline diamond films. Nano-crystalline diamond thin films were deposited at high temperature in microwave-induced plasma diluted with nitrogen, on single crystal silicon substrate with a thin film of chromium as an underlayer. Characterization of the film was implemented using non-Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. Nanoindentation studies showed that the films deposited on chromium underlayer have higher hardness values compared to those deposited on silicon without an underlayer. Diamond and graphitic phases of the films evaluated by x-ray and optical spectroscopic analyses determined consistency between the sp2 and sp3 phases of carbon in chromium sample to that of diamond grown on silicon. Diffusion of chromium was observed using ion beam analysis which was correlated with the formation of chromium complexes by x-ray diffraction.

Soft magnetic properties of nanocrystalline FeRuGaSi-Hf alloy films and head characteristics for the embedded thin film tape head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohmori, H.; Shoji, M.; Kobayashi, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Sugiyama, Y.; Hayashi, K.; Hono, K.

1996-04-01

The Hf-added FeRuGaSi alloy film has an amorphous structure in the as-deposited state and becomes nanocrystalline after annealing. Due to this structure change from crystalline to amorphous by the addition of Hf, soft magnetic degradation of the film deposited on the slant grooved substrate, which is necessary for the sophisticated embedded thin film (ETF) head structure, is greatly suppressed and the undesirable film stress is relieved. The FeRuGaSi-Hf alloy film has higher resistivity and permeability at high frequencies than those of sendust film, and the read/write characteristics of this alloy film show better performance than sendust film.

The electrophoretic deposition of ZnO on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghalamboran, Milad; Jahangiri, Mojtaba; Yousefiazari, Ehsan

2017-12-01

Intensive research has been conducted on ZnO thin and thick films in recent years. Such layers, used in different electronic devices, are deposited utilizing various methods, but electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been chosen because of the advantages like low energy consumption, economical superiority, ecofriendliness, controllability, and high deposition rate. Here, we report electrophoretically depositing ZnO layers onto highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Well-dispersed and stable ZnO suspensions are used for the deposition of continuous and even layers of ZnO on the substrate. ZnO powder is dispersed in acetone. The electric field applied is in the 250 V/cm to 2000 V/cm range. The morphology of the deposits are studied by SEM at the different stages of the deposition process.

Defect-induced magnetic order in pure ZnO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalid, M.; Ziese, M.; Setzer, A.; Esquinazi, P.; Lorenz, M.; Hochmuth, H.; Grundmann, M.; Spemann, D.; Butz, T.; Brauer, G.; Anwand, W.; Fischer, G.; Adeagbo, W. A.; Hergert, W.; Ernst, A.

2009-07-01

We have investigated the magnetic properties of pure ZnO thin films grown under N2 pressure on a -, c -, and r -plane Al2O3 substrates by pulsed-laser deposition. The substrate temperature and the N2 pressure were varied from room temperature to 570°C and from 0.007 to 1.0 mbar, respectively. The magnetic properties of bare substrates and ZnO films were investigated by SQUID magnetometry. ZnO films grown on c - and a -plane Al2O3 substrates did not show significant ferromagnetism. However, ZnO films grown on r -plane Al2O3 showed reproducible ferromagnetism at 300 K when grown at 300-400°C and 0.1-1.0 mbar N2 pressure. Positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements as well as density-functional theory calculations suggest that the ferromagnetism in ZnO films is related to Zn vacancies.

Enhanced ZnO Thin-Film Transistor Performance Using Bilayer Gate Dielectrics.

PubMed

Alshammari, Fwzah H; Nayak, Pradipta K; Wang, Zhenwei; Alshareef, Husam N

2016-09-07

We report ZnO TFTs using Al2O3/Ta2O5 bilayer gate dielectrics grown by atomic layer deposition. The saturation mobility of single layer Ta2O5 dielectric TFT was 0.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), but increased to 13.3 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) using Al2O3/Ta2O5 bilayer dielectric with significantly lower leakage current and hysteresis. We show that point defects present in ZnO film, particularly VZn, are the main reason for the poor TFT performance with single layer dielectric, although interfacial roughness scattering effects cannot be ruled out. Our approach combines the high dielectric constant of Ta2O5 and the excellent Al2O3/ZnO interface quality, resulting in improved device performance.

Fabrication of tantalum and nitrogen codoped ZnO (Ta, N-ZnO) thin films using the electrospay: twin applications as an excellent transparent electrode and a field emitter.

PubMed

Mahmood, Khalid; Park, Seung Bin; Sung, Hyung Jin

2013-05-01

The realization of stable p-type nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films with durable and controlled growth is important for the fabrication of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices. ZnO thin films codoped with tantalum and nitrogen (Ta, N-ZnO) were fabricated by using the electrospraying method at an atmospheric pressure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies demonstrated that all the prepared films were polycrystalline in nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure. In addition, a shift in the XRD patterns was observed, and the crystal orientation was changed at a certain amount of nitrogen (>6 at.%) in the starting solution. Analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns and X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed that nitrogen which was combined with the zinc atom (N-Zn) was successfully doped into the ZnO crystal lattice. It was also observed that 2 at.% tantalum and 6 at.% nitrogen (2 at.% Ta and 6 at.% N) were the optimal dopant amounts to achieve the minimum resistivity of about 9.70 × 10(-5) Ω cm and the maximum transmittance of 98% in the visible region. Consequently, the field-emission characteristics of such a Ta, N-ZnO emitter can exhibit the higher current density of 1.33 mA cm(-2), larger field-enhancement factor (β) of 4706, lower turn-on field of 2.6 V μm(-1), and lower threshold field of 3.5 V μm(-1) attributed to the enhanced conductivity and better crystallinity of films. Moreover, the obtained values of resistivity were closest to the lowest resistivity values among the doped ZnO films as well as to the indium tin oxide (ITO) resistivity values that were previously studied. We confirmed that the tantalum and nitrogen atoms substitution in the ZnO lattice induced positive effects in terms of enhancing the free carrier concentration which will further improve the electrical, optical, and field-emission properties. The proposed electrospraying method was well suitable for the fabrication of Ta, N-ZnO thin films at optimum conditions with superior electrical

Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

DOEpatents

Siegel, Richard W.; Nieman, G. William; Weertman, Julia R.

1994-01-01

A method for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material.

Influence of solution viscosity on hydrothermally grown ZnO thin films for DSSC applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marimuthu, T.; Anandhan, N.; Thangamuthu, R.; Surya, S.

2016-10-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire arrays (NWAs) were grown onto zinc oxide-titanium dioxide (ZnO-TiO2) seeded fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) conductive substrate by hydrothermal technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns depict that ZnO thin films are preferentially oriented along the (002) plane with hexagonal wurtzite structure. Viscosity measurements reveal that viscosity of the solutions linearly increases as the concentrations of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) increase in the growth solution. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images show that the NWAs are vertically grown to seeded FTO substrate with hexagonal structure, and the growth of NWAs decreases as the concentration of the PVA increases. Stylus profilometer and atomic force microscopic (AFM) studies predict that the thickness and roughness of the films decrease with increasing the PVA concentrations. The NWAs prepared at 0.1% of PVA exhibits a lower transmittance and higher absorbance than that of the other films. The band gap of the optimized films prepared at 0.0 and 0.1% of PVA is found to be 3.270 and 3.268 eV, respectively. The photo to current conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on photoanodes prepared at 0.0 and 0.1% of PVA exhibits about 0.64 and 0.82%, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectra reveal that the DSSC based on photoanode prepared at 0.1% of PVA has the highest charge transfer recombination resistance.

Effect of Various Catalysts on the Stability of Characteristics of Acetone Sensors Based on Thin Nanocrystalline SnO2 Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevastyanov, E. Yu.; Maksimova, N. K.; Potekaev, A. I.; Khludkova, L. S.; Chernikov, E. V.; Davydova, T. A.

2018-02-01

The results of studies of electrical and gas sensitive characteristics of acetone sensors based on thin nanocrystalline SnO2 films with various catalysts deposited on the surface (Pt/Pd, Au) and introduced into the volume (Au, Ni, Co) are presented. Films containing impurities of gold and 3d-metals were obtained by the method of magnetron sputtering of mosaic targets. Particular attention was paid to the influence of the longterm tests and humidity level on the properties of sensors. It is shown that the sensors with the deposited dispersed gold layers with Au+Ni and, especially, Au+Co additives introduced into the volume are characterized by the increased stability in the process of testing under prolonged exposure to acetone and also under conditions of varying humidity.

Influence of baking method and baking temperature on the optical properties of ZnO thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ng, Zi-Neng; Chan, Kah-Yoong

In this work, sol-gel spin coating technique was utilised to coat ZnO thin films on glass substrates. During the intermediate 3 minutes baking process, either hotplate or convection oven was employed to bake the samples. The temperature for the baking process was varied from 150°C to 300°C for both instruments. Avantes Optical Spectrophotometer was used to characterise the optical property. The optical transmittances of hotplate-baked and oven-baked samples showed different trends with increasing baking temperatures, ranging from below 50% transmittance to over 90% transmittance in the visible range of wavelength. The difference in baking mechanisms using hotplate and convection ovenmore » will be discussed in this paper.« less

Evidence of cation vacancy induced room temperature ferromagnetism in Li-N codoped ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, B. Y.; Yao, B.; Li, Y. F.; Liu, A. M.; Zhang, Z. Z.; Li, B. H.; Xing, G. Z.; Wu, T.; Qin, X. B.; Zhao, D. X.; Shan, C. X.; Shen, D. Z.

2011-10-01

Room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) was observed in Li-N codoped ZnO thin films [ZnO:(Li, N)] fabricated by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, and p-type ZnO:(Li, N) shows the strongest RTFM. Positron annihilation spectroscopy and low temperature photoluminescence measurements indicate that the RTFM in ZnO:(Li, N) is attributed to the defect complex related to VZn, such as VZn and Lii-NO-VZn complex, well supported by first-principles calculations. The incorporation of NO can stabilize and enhance the RTFM of ZnO:(Li, N) by combining with Lii to form Lii-NO complex, which restrains the compensation of Lii for VZn and makes the ZnO:(Li, N) conduct in p-type.

Influence of baking method and baking temperature on the optical properties of ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Zi-Neng; Chan, Kah-Yoong

2015-04-01

In this work, sol-gel spin coating technique was utilised to coat ZnO thin films on glass substrates. During the intermediate 3 minutes baking process, either hotplate or convection oven was employed to bake the samples. The temperature for the baking process was varied from 150°C to 300°C for both instruments. Avantes Optical Spectrophotometer was used to characterise the optical property. The optical transmittances of hotplate-baked and oven-baked samples showed different trends with increasing baking temperatures, ranging from below 50% transmittance to over 90% transmittance in the visible range of wavelength. The difference in baking mechanisms using hotplate and convection oven will be discussed in this paper.

Identification of acoustic waves in ZnO materials by Brillouin light scattering for SAW device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zerdali, M.; Bechiri, F.; Hamzaoui, S.; Teherani, F. H.; Rogers, D. J.; Sandana, V. E.; Bove, P.; Djemia, P.; Roussigné, Y.

2017-03-01

Brillouin light scattering (BLS) was conducted on melt-grown ZnO bulk crystals and ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. The bulk ZnO crystals presented both longitudinal and transverse bulk acoustic waves. Theoretical calculations agreed well with there being one piezoelectric longitudinal branch and two transverse branches. BLS measurements conducted on ZnO thin films also revealed Rayleigh surface acoustic waves (R-SAW) guided by only the surface of the layer and Sezawa modes, guided by the film thickness. Measurements were conducted for three incidence angles in order to investigate different SAW wave numbers. Higher frequency features were identified as being related to a new class of guided longitudinal (LG) SAW modes which are not usually detected for ZnO thin films. The LG-SAW modes were observed for two incidence angles (θ=45° and 55°) corresponding to frequencies of 17.88 and 20.75 GHz, respectively. BLS measurements enable us to estimate the LG-SAW velocity as 6500 m/s. This value is three times higher than that of the currently used R-SAW. Theoretical simulations were coherent with the presence of LG modes in the ZnO layers. Such LG-SAW modes are promising for the development of novel, higher-speed SAW devices operating in the GHz-band and which could be readily incorporated in Si-based integrated circuitry.

The chemical and catalytic properties of nanocrystalline metal oxides prepared through modified sol-gel synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnes, Corrie Leigh

The goal of this research was to synthesize, characterize and study the chemical properties of nanocrystalline metal oxides. Nanocrystalline (NC) ZnO, CuO, NiO, Al2O3, and the binary Al2O 3/MgO and ZnO/CuO were prepared through modified sol gel methods. These NC metal oxides were studied in comparison to the commercial (CM) metal oxides. The samples were characterized by XRD, TGA, FTIR, BET, and TEM. The NC samples were all accompanied by a significant increase in surface area and decrease in crystallite size. Several chemical reactions were studied to compare the NC samples to the CM samples. One of the reactions involved a high temperature reaction between carbon tetrachloride and the oxide to form carbon dioxide and the corresponding metal chloride. A similar high temperature reaction was conducted between the metal oxide and hydrogen sulfide to form water and the corresponding metal sulfide. A room temperature gas phase adsorption was studied where SO2 was adsorbed onto the oxide. A liquid phase adsorption conducted at room temperature was the destructive adsorption of paraoxon (a toxic insecticide). In all reactions the NC samples exhibited greater activity, destroying or adsorbing a larger amount of the toxins compared to the CM samples. To better study surface area effects catalytic reactions were also studied. The catalysis of methanol was studied over the nanocrystalline ZnO, CuO, NiO, and ZnO/CuO samples in comparison to their commercial counterparts. In most cases the NC samples proved to be more active catalysts, having higher percent conversions and turnover numbers. A second catalytic reaction was also studied, this reaction was investigated to look at the support effects. The catalysis of cyclopropane to propane was studied over Pt and Co catalysts. These catalysts were supported onto NC and CM alumina by impregnation. By observing differences in the catalytic behavior, support effects have become apparent.

Nanocrystalline ceramic materials

DOEpatents

Siegel, R.W.; Nieman, G.W.; Weertman, J.R.

1994-06-14

A method is disclosed for preparing a treated nanocrystalline metallic material. The method of preparation includes providing a starting nanocrystalline metallic material with a grain size less than about 35 nm, compacting the starting nanocrystalline metallic material in an inert atmosphere and annealing the compacted metallic material at a temperature less than about one-half the melting point of the metallic material. 19 figs.

Investigation of photocalalytic activity of ZnO prepared by spray pyrolis with various precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourfaa, F.; Lamri Zeggar, M.; A, A.; Aida, M. S.; Attaf, N.

2016-03-01

Semiconductor photocatalysts such as ZnO has attracted much attention in recent years due to their various applications for the degradation of organic pollutants in water, air and in dye sensitized photovoltaic solar cell. In the present work, ZnO thin films were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis by using different precursors namely: acetate, chloride and zinc nitrate in order to investigate their influence on ZnO photocatalytic activity. The films crystalline structure was studied by mean of X- ray diffraction measurements (XRD) and the films surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The films optical properties were studied by mean of UV-visible spectroscopy. The prepared films were tested for the degradation of the red reactive dye largely used in textile industry. As a result, we found that the zinc nitrate is the best precursor to prepare ZnO thin films suitable for a good photocatalytic activity.

Structure and morphology of magnetron sputter deposited ultrathin ZnO films on confined polymeric template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ajaib; Schipmann, Susanne; Mathur, Aakash; Pal, Dipayan; Sengupta, Amartya; Klemradt, Uwe; Chattopadhyay, Sudeshna

2017-08-01

The structure and morphology of ultra-thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films with different film thicknesses on confined polymer template were studied through X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). Using magnetron sputter deposition technique ZnO thin films with different film thicknesses (<10 nm) were grown on confined polystyrene with ∼2Rg film thickness, where Rg ∼ 20 nm (Rg is the unperturbed radius of gyration of polystyrene, defined by Rg = 0.272 √M0, and M0 is the molecular weight of polystyrene). The detailed internal structure, along the surface/interfaces and the growth direction of the system were explored in this study, which provides insight into the growth procedure of ZnO on confined polymer and reveals that a thin layer of ZnO, with very low surface and interface roughness, can be grown by DC magnetron sputtering technique, with approximately full coverage (with bulk like electron density) even in nm order of thickness, in 2-7 nm range on confined polymer template, without disturbing the structure of the underneath template. The resulting ZnO-polystyrene hybrid systems show strong ZnO near band edge (NBE) and deep-level (DLE) emissions in their room temperature photoluminescence spectra, where the contribution of DLE gets relatively stronger with decreasing ZnO film thickness, indicating a significant enhancement of surface defects because of the greater surface to volume ratio in thinner films.

Ultraviolet photodetectors based on ZnO sheets: The effect of sheet size on photoresponse properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasempour Ardakani, Abbas; Pazoki, Meysam; Mahdavi, Seyed Mohammad; Bahrampour, Ali Reza; Taghavinia, Nima

2012-05-01

In this work, ultraviolet photodetectors based on electrodeposited ZnO sheet thin films were fabricated on a glass substrate. Before electrodeposition, a thin buffer layer of ZnO was deposited on the glass by pulsed laser deposition method. This layer not only acted as a nucleation site for ZnO sheet growth, but also made it possible to use cheap glass substrate instead of conventional fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. Our results showed that photoresponse properties of the photodetectors strongly depend on the sheet sizes. The smaller sheets exhibited enhanced photosensitivity, shortened fall times and decreased gain compared to larger ones. We showed that photodetectors based on ZnO sheets have a faster response than ones based on polycrystalline films. It was also shown that even less response time could be obtained by using comb-like electrodes instead of two-electrode.

Ionic displacement induced ferroelectricity in multiferroic Cr doped ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, Jeetendra Kumar; Ali, Nasir; Ghosh, Subhasis

2018-05-01

Cr doped ZnO thin film was grown on quartz substrate using RF magnetron sputtering. Room temperature magnetic and ferroelectric properties of Cr doped ZnO were investigated. It is shown that ZnO becomes ferromagnetic upon Cr doping. It is considered that breaking of centrosymmetry due strain developed by doping of Cr should be responsible for the ferroelectricity. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), which shows that the films possess crystalline structure with preferred orientation along the (002) crystal plane and there is no extra peak due to Cr i.e. single phase.

Atomic layer deposition of Nb-doped ZnO for thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, A.; Wrench, J. S.; Jin, J. D.; Whittles, T. J.; Mitrovic, I. Z.; Raja, M.; Dhanak, V. R.; Chalker, P. R.; Hall, S.

2016-11-01

We present physical and electrical characterization of niobium-doped zinc oxide (NbZnO) for thin film transistor (TFT) applications. The NbZnO films were deposited using atomic layer deposition. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the crystallinity of the NbZnO films reduces with an increase in the Nb content and lower deposition temperature. It was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that Nb5+ is present within the NbZnO matrix. Furthermore, photoluminescence indicates that the band gap of the ZnO increases with a higher Nb content, which is explained by the Burstein-Moss effect. For TFT applications, a growth temperature of 175 °C for 3.8% NbZnO provided the best TFT characteristics with a saturation mobility of 7.9 cm2/Vs, the current On/Off ratio of 1 × 108, and the subthreshold swing of 0.34 V/decade. The transport is seen to follow a multiple-trap and release mechanism at lower gate voltages and percolation thereafter.

Observation of dopant-profile independent electron transport in sub-monolayer TiO{sub x} stacked ZnO thin films grown by atomic layer deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saha, D., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Misra, P., E-mail: sahaphys@gmail.com, E-mail: pmisra@rrcat.gov.in; Joshi, M. P.

2016-01-18

Dopant-profile independent electron transport has been observed through a combined study of temperature dependent electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements on a series of Ti incorporated ZnO thin films with varying degree of static-disorder. These films were grown by atomic layer deposition through in-situ vertical stacking of multiple sub-monolayers of TiO{sub x} in ZnO. Upon decreasing ZnO spacer layer thickness, electron transport smoothly evolved from a good metallic to an incipient non-metallic regime due to the intricate interplay of screening of spatial potential fluctuations and strength of static-disorder in the films. Temperature dependent phase-coherence length as extracted from the magnetotransport measurementmore » revealed insignificant role of inter sub-monolayer scattering as an additional channel for electron dephasing, indicating that films were homogeneously disordered three-dimensional electronic systems irrespective of their dopant-profiles. Results of this study are worthy enough for both fundamental physics perspective and efficient applications of multi-stacked ZnO/TiO{sub x} structures in the emerging field of transparent oxide electronics.« less

Ferroelectric behavior and reproducible Bi-stable resistance switching property in K-doped ZnO thin films as candidate for application in non-volatile memories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. W.; Subramaniam, N. G.; Kang, T. W.; Shon, Yoon; Kim, E. K.

2015-05-01

Potassium-doped ZnO thin films electrodeposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates exhibited ferroelectric behavior with a remnant polarization of 0.2 μC/cm2. Especially, wave forms showing the applied input voltage Vi and output voltage Vo were obtained for Al/ZnO:K/ITO structure. It exhibits a superposition of Vi (input) and Vo (output) signal from Al/ZnO:K/ITO structure with a clear phase shift between the two wave forms which again confirms that the observed ferroelectric hysteresis curve is not related to leaky dielectric materials. The current-voltage characteristics of Al/ZnO:K/ITO structures measured for several cycles revealed bi-stable switching characteristics. The reproducible bi-stable switching characteristics for the mentioned structures had good retention in one particular resistance state. Around one order of switching was realized between low and high resistance states. The switching property thought to be polarization induced originating out from the ferroelectric properties of the potassium doped ZnO thin film. The switching between ZnO:K/ITO interface is assumed to be critical for stability in switching for several cycles. Possible application of this structure in non-volatile memories is explored.

The influence of interfacial defects on fast charge trapping in nanocrystalline oxide-semiconductor thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Taeho; Hur, Jihyun; Jeon, Sanghun

2016-05-01

Defects in oxide semiconductors not only influence the initial device performance but also affect device reliability. The front channel is the major carrier transport region during the transistor turn-on stage, therefore an understanding of defects located in the vicinity of the interface is very important. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of charge transport in a nanocrystalline hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) by short pulse I-V, transient current and 1/f noise measurement methods. We found that the fast charging behavior of the tested device stems from defects located in both the front channel and the interface, following a multi-trapping mechanism. We found that a silicon-nitride stacked hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide TFT is vulnerable to interfacial charge trapping compared with silicon-oxide counterpart, causing significant mobility degradation and threshold voltage instability. The 1/f noise measurement data indicate that the carrier transport in a silicon-nitride stacked TFT device is governed by trapping/de-trapping processes via defects in the interface, while the silicon-oxide device follows the mobility fluctuation model.

Characterization of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) piezoelectric properties for Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosydi Zakaria, Mohd; Johari, Shazlina; Hafiz Ismail, Mohd; Hashim, Uda

2017-11-01

In fabricating Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) biosensors device, the substrate is one of important factors that affected to performance device. there are many types of piezoelectric substrate in the markets and the cheapest is zinc Oxide substrate. Zinc Oxide (ZnO) with its unique properties can be used as piezoelectric substrate along with SAW devices for detection of DNA in this research. In this project, ZnO thin film is deposited onto silicon oxide substrate using electron beam evaporation (E-beam) and Sol-Gel technique. Different material structure is used to compare the roughness and best piezoelectric substrate of ZnO thin film. Two different structures of ZnO target which are pellet and granular are used for e-beam deposition and one sol-gel liquid were synthesize and compared. Parameter for thickness of ZnO e-beam deposition is fixed to a 0.1kÅ for both materials structure and sol-gel was coat using spin coat technique. After the process is done, samples are annealed at temperature of 500°C for 2 hours. The structural properties of effect of post annealing using different material structure of ZnO are studied using Atomic Force Microscopic (AFM) for surface morphology and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) for phase structure.

Nanostructured ZnO Films for Room Temperature Ammonia Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhivya Ponnusamy; Sridharan Madanagurusamy

2014-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been deposited by a reactive dc magnetron sputtering technique onto a thoroughly cleaned glass substrate at room temperature. X-ray diffraction revealed that the deposited film was polycrystalline in nature. The field emission scanning electron micrograph (FE-SEM) showed the uniform formation of a rugby ball-shaped ZnO nanostructure. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed that the film was stoichiometric and the direct band gap of the film, determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy, was 3.29 eV. The ZnO nanostructured film exhibited better sensing towards ammonia (NH3) at room temperature (˜30°C). The fabricated ZnO film based sensor was capable of detecting NH3 at as low as 5 ppm, and its parameters, such as response, selectivity, stability, and response/recovery time, were also investigated.

Correlations between 1/f noise and thermal treatment of Al-doped ZnO thin films deposited by direct current sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barhoumi, A., E-mail: amira-barhoumi@yahoo.fr; Guermazi, S.; Leroy, G.

2014-05-28

Al-doped ZnO thin films (AZO) have been deposited on amorphous glass substrates by DC sputtering at different substrate temperatures T{sub s}. X-Ray diffraction results reveal that AZO thin films have a hexagonal wurtzite structure with (002) preferred orientation. (002) peaks indicate that the crystalline structure of the films is oriented with c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Three-dimensional (3D) atomic force microscopy images of AZO thin films deposited on glass substrate at 200 °C, 300 °C, and 400 °C, respectively, shows the improvement of the crystallinity and the homogeneity of AZO thin films with T{sub s} which is in agreement with the noise measurements.more » The noise was characterized between 1 Hz and 100 kHz and we have obtained 1/f spectra. The noise is very sensitive to the crystal structure especially to the orientation of the crystallites which is perpendicular to the substrate and to the grain boundaries which generate a high current flow and a sharp increase in noise. Through time, R{sub sh} and [αμ]{sub eff} increase with the modification of the crystallinity of AZO thin films. Study of noise aging shows that the noise is more sensitive than resistivity for all AZO thin films.« less

Room temperature photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorods grown by hydrothermal reaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iwan, S., E-mail: iwan-sugihartono@unj.ac.id; Prodi Ilmu Material, Departemen Fisika, FMIPA, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI Depok; Fauzia, Vivi

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were fabricated by a hydrothermal reaction on silicon (Si) substrate at 95 °C for 6 hours. The ZnO seed layer was fabricated by depositing ZnO thin films on Si substrates by ultrasonic spray pyrolisis (USP). The annealing effects on crystal structure and optical properties of ZnO nanorods were investigated. The post-annealing treatment was performed at 800 °C with different environments. The annealed of ZnO nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) in order to analyze crystal structure and optical properties, respectively. The results show the orientations of [002], [101], [102], and [103] diffractionmore » peaks were observed and hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO nanorods were vertically grown on Si substrates. The room temperature PL spectra show ultra-violet (UV) and visible emissions. The annealed of ZnO nanorods in vacuum condition (3.8 × 10{sup −3} Torr) has dominant UV emission. Meanwhile, non-annealed of ZnO nanorods has dominant visible emission. It was expected that the annealed of ZnO in vacuum condition suppresses the existence of native defects in ZnO nanorods.« less

Highly transparent and lower resistivity of yttrium doped ZnO thin films grown on quartz glass by sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Narinder; Sharma, Sanjeev K.; Kim, Deuk Young; Singh, Narinder

2016-11-01

We prepared highly transparent yttrium-doped ZnO (YZO) thin films on quartz glass by a sol-gel method, and then annealed them at 600 °C in vacuum. All samples showed hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferential orientation along the (002) direction. We observed the average grain size of Y: 2 at% thin film to be in the range of 15-20 nm. We observed blue shift in the optical bandgap (3.29 eV→3.32 eV) by increasing the Y concentration (0-2 at%), due to increasing the number of electrons, and replacing the di-valent (Zn2+) with tri-valent (Y3+) dopants. Replacing the higher ionic radii (Y3+) with smaller ionic radii (Zn2+) expanded the local volume of the lattice, which reduced the lattice defects, and increased the intensity ratio of NBE/DLE emission (INBE/IDLE). We also observed the lowest (172 meV) Urbach energy of Y: 2 at% thin film, and confirmed the high structural quality. Incorporation of the appropriate Y concentration (2 at%) improved the crystallinity of YZO thin films, which led to less carrier scattering and lower resistivity.

Flexible TFTs based on solution-processed ZnO nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jun, Jin Hyung; Park, Byoungjun; Cho, Kyoungah; Kim, Sangsig

2009-12-16

Flexible electronic devices which are lightweight, thin and bendable have attracted increasing attention in recent years. In particular, solution processes have been spotlighted in the field of flexible electronics, since they provide the opportunity to fabricate flexible electronics using low-temperature processes at low-cost with high throughput. However, there are few reports which describe the characteristics of electronic devices on flexible substrates. In this study, we fabricated flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) on plastic substrates with channel layers formed by the spin-coating of ZnO nanoparticles and investigated their electrical properties in the flat and bent states. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to fabricate fully functional ZnO TFTs on flexible substrates through the solution process. The ZnO TFTs showed n-channel device characteristics and operated in enhancement mode. In the flat state, a representative ZnO TFT presented a very low field-effect mobility of 1.2 x 10(-5) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), while its on/off ratio was as high as 1.5 x 10(3). When the TFT was in the bent state, some of the device parameters changed. The changes of the device parameters and the possible reasons for these changes will be described. The recovery characteristics of the TFTs after being subjected to cyclic bending will be discussed as well.

A study on the structural and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline CuS thin films grown by chemical bath deposition technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukherjee, Nillohit; Sinha, Arijit; Khan, Gobinda Gopal

2011-01-15

We report a chemical route for the deposition of nanocrystalline thin films of CuS, using aqueous solutions of Cu(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}, SC(NH{sub 2}){sub 2} and N(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}OH){sub 3} [triethanolamine, i.e. TEA] in proper concentrations and ratios. The films were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and optical analysis [both photo luminescence (PL) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis)]. Optical studies showed a large blue shift in the band gap energy of the films due to quantum confinement effect exerted by the nanocrystals. From both XRD and FESEM analyses, formation of CuS nanocrystals with sizes withinmore » 10-15 nm was evident. A study on the mechanical properties was carried out using nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques, which showed good mechanical stability and high adherence of the films with the bottom substrate. Such study on the mechanical properties of the CuS thin films is being reported here for the first time. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were also carried out for the films, which showed p-type conductivity.« less

Thermal conductivity of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon films prepared by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jugdersuren, B.; Kearney, B. T.; Queen, D. R.

We report 3..omega.. thermal conductivity measurements of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films from 85 to 300 K prepared by hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition, where the crystallinity of the films is controlled by the hydrogen dilution during growth. The thermal conductivity of the amorphous silicon film is in agreement with several previous reports of amorphous silicon prepared by a variety of deposition techniques. The thermal conductivity of the as-grown nanocrystalline silicon film is 70% higher and increases 35% more after an anneal at 600 degrees C. They all have similarly weak temperature dependence. Structural analysis shows that the as-grown nanocrystalline siliconmore » is approximately 60% crystalline, nanograins and grain boundaries included. The nanograins, averaging 9.1 nm in diameter in the as-grown film, are embedded in an amorphous matrix. The grain size increases to 9.7 nm upon annealing, accompanied by the disappearance of the amorphous phase. We extend the models of grain boundary scattering of phonons with two different non-Debye dispersion relations to explain our result of nanocrystalline silicon, confirming the strong grain size dependence of heat transport for nanocrystalline materials. However, the similarity in thermal conductivity between amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon suggests the heat transport mechanisms in both structures may not be as dissimilar as we currently understand.« less

Zinc Oxide Grown by CVD Process as Transparent Contact for Thin Film Solar Cell Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faÿ, S.; Shah, A.

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of ZnO films (MOCVD) [1] started to be comprehensively investigated in the 1980s, when thin film industries were looking for ZnO deposition processes especially useful for large-scale coatings at high growth rates. Later on, when TCO for thin film solar cells started to be developed, another advantage of growing TCO films by the CVD process has been highlighted: the surface roughness. Indeed, a large number of studies on CVD ZnO revealed that an as-grown rough surface cn be obtained with this deposition process [2-4]. A rough surface induces a light scattering effect, which can significantly improve light trapping (and therefore current photo-generation) within thin film silicon solar cells. The CVD process, indeed, directly leads to as-grown rough ZnO films without any post-etching step (the latter is often introduced to obtain a rough surface, when working with as-deposited flat sputtered ZnO). This fact could turn out to be a significant advantage when upscaling the manufacturing process for actual commercial production of thin film solar modules. The zinc and oxygen sources for CVD growth of ZnO films are given in Table 6.1.

Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimpoor, Amir A.; Erb, Uwe

2006-05-01

Due to their excellent wear and corrosion properties, nanocrystalline cobalt and several cobalt alloys made by electrodeposition are currently being developed as environmentally benign replacement coatings for hard chromium electrodeposits. The focus of this study is on the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline cobalt, which are currently not well understood. A comparison is presented for hardness, tensile properties, Charpy impact properties and fracture surface analysis of both nanocrystalline (grain size: 12 nm) and conventional polycrystalline (grain size: 4.8 m) cobalt. It is shown that the hardness and tensile strength of nanocrystalline cobalt is 2-3 times higher than for polycrystalline cobalt. However, in contrast to other nanocrystalline materials tested previously, nanocrystalline cobalt retains considerable ductility with elongation to fracture values up to 7%.

Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Pradipta K.; Wang, Zhenwei; Anjum, D. H.; Hedhili, M. N.; Alshareef, H. N.

2015-03-01

We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured at room temperature and at 60 °C. A tremendous improvement in gate-bias stress stability was obtained in case of the TFT with multiple layers of ZnO embedded between HfO2 layers compared to the TFT with a single layer of ZnO as the semiconductor. The ultra-thin HfO2 layers act as passivation layers, which prevent the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules in the ZnO layer and hence significantly improve the gate-bias stress stability of ZnO TFTs.

Impact of strain on electronic defects in (Mg,Zn)O thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt, Florian, E-mail: fschmidt@physik.uni-leipzig.de; Müller, Stefan; Wenckstern, Holger von

2014-09-14

We have investigated the impact of strain on the incorporation and the properties of extended and point defects in (Mg,Zn)O thin films by means of photoluminescence, X-ray diffraction, deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), and deep-level optical spectroscopy. The recombination line Y₂, previously detected in ZnO thin films grown on an Al-doped ZnO buffer layer and attributed to tensile strain, was exclusively found in (Mg,Zn)O samples being under tensile strain and is absent in relaxed or compressively strained thin films. Furthermore a structural defect E3´ can be detected via DLTS measurements and is only incorporated in tensile strained samples. Finally it ismore » shown that the omnipresent deep-level E3 in ZnO can only be optically recharged in relaxed ZnO samples.« less

Precursor-route ZnO films from a mixed casting solvent for high performance aqueous electrolyte-gated transistors.

PubMed

Althagafi, Talal M; Algarni, Saud A; Al Naim, Abdullah; Mazher, Javed; Grell, Martin

2015-12-14

We significantly improved the performance of precursor-route semiconducting zinc oxide (ZnO) films in electrolyte-gated thin film transistors (TFTs). We find that the organic precursor to ZnO, zinc acetate (ZnAc), dissolves more readily in a 1 : 1 mixture of ethanol (EtOH) and acetone than in pure EtOH, pure acetone, or pure isopropanol. XPS and SEM characterisation show improved morphology of ZnO films converted from a mixed solvent cast ZnAc precursor compared to the EtOH cast precursor. When gated with a biocompatible electrolyte, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs) derived from mixed solvent cast ZnAc give 4 times larger field effect current than similar films derived from ZnAc cast from pure EtOH. The sheet resistance at VG = VD = 1 V is 30 kΩ □(-1), lower than for any organic TFT, and lower than for any electrolyte-gated ZnO TFT reported to date.

Synthesis of zinc oxide thin films prepared by sol-gel for specific bioactivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, Tijjani; Basri, B.; Dhahi, Th. S.; Mohammed, Mohammed; Hashim, U.; Noriman, N. Z.; Dahham, Omar S.

2017-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films this device to used for many application like chemical sensor, biosensor, solar energy, etc but my project to use for bioactivity(biosensor). Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been grown using sol-gel technique. Characterization was done using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray(EDX) and Electrical Measurement(I-V). ZnO thin film was successfully synthesized using low cost sol-gel spin coating method. The coupling of DNA probe to ZnO thin film supports modified with carboxylic acid (COOH) is certainly the best practical method to make DNA immobilization and it does not require any coupling agent which could be a source of variability during the spotting with an automatic device. So, selected this coupling procedure for further experiments. The sensor was tested with initial trial with low concentrated DNA and able to detect detection of the disease effectively. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer device with ZnO can detect at different concentration in order to valid the device capabilities for detecting development. The lowest concentration 1 µM HPV DNA probe can detect is 0.1 nM HPV target DNA.

Effect of co-doping process on topography, optical and electrical properties of ZnO nanostructured

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, R.; Mamat, M. H.; Malek, M. F.; Ismail, A. S.; Yusoff, M. M.; Syamsir, S. A.; Khusaimi, Z.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

We investigated of Undoped ZnO and Magnesium (Mg)-Aluminium (Al) co-doped Zinc Oxide (MAZO) nanostructured films were prepared by sol gel spin coating technique. The surface topography was analyzed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Based on the AFM results, Root Mean Square (RMS) of MAZO films have rougher surface compared to pure ZnO films. The optical and electrical properties of thin film samples were characterized using Uv-Vis spectroscopy and two point probes, current-voltage (I-V) measurements. The transmittance spectra for both thin samples was above 80% in the visible wavelength. The MAZO film shows the highest conductivity compared to pure ZnO films. This result indicates that the improvement of carrier mobility throughout doping process and possibly contribute by extra ion charge.

Properties of Nanocrystalline Cubic Silicon Carbide Thin Films Prepared by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition Using SiH4/CH4/H2 at Various Substrate Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabata, Akimori; Komura, Yusuke; Hoshide, Yoshiki; Narita, Tomoki; Kondo, Akihiro

2008-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were prepared by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from SiH4/CH4/H2 gases, and the influence of substrate temperature, Ts (104 < Ts < 434 °C), on the properties of the SiC thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman scattering spectra revealed that nanocrystalline cubic SiC (nc-3C-SiC) films grew at Ts above 187 °C, while completely amorphous films grew at Ts = 104 °C. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectra revealed that the crystallinity of the nc-3C-SiC was improved with increasing Ts up to 282 °C and remained almost unchanged with a further increase in Ts from 282 to 434 °C. The spin density was reduced monotonically with increasing Ts.

Effect of copper and nickel doping on the optical and structural properties of ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muǧlu, G. Merhan; Sarıtaş, S.; ćakıcı, T.; Şakar, B.; Yıldırım, M.

2017-02-01

The present study is focused on the Cu doped ZnO and Ni doped ZnO dilute magnetic semiconductor thin films. ZnO:Cu and ZnO:Ni thin films were grown by Chemically Spray Pyrolysis (CSP) method on glass substrates. Optical analysis of the films was done spectral absorption and transmittance measurements by UV-Vis double beam spectrophotometer technique. The structure, morphology, topology and elemental analysis of ZnO:Cu and ZnO:Ni dilute magnetic thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman Analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques, respectively. Also The magnetic properties of the ZnO:Ni thin film was investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) method. VSM measurements of ZnO:Ni thin film showed that the ferromagnetic behavior.

Facile one-step synthesis of magnesium-doped ZnO nanoparticles: optical properties and their device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Ji-Young; Lim, Sang-Chul; Ahn, Seong Deok; Lee, Sang Seok; Cho, Kyoung-Ik; Bon Koo, Jae; Choi, Rino; Hasan, Musarrat

2013-07-01

In this study, magnesium-doped (Mg-doped) zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a sonochemical process under mild conditions. The x-ray diffraction pattern indicated that the Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles maintain a wurtzite structure without impurities. We observed a blue-shift of the bandgap of the Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles as the Mg-doping ratio increased. We also fabricated thin-film transistor (TFT) devices with the doped-ZnO nanoparticles. Devices using Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles as a channel layer showed insensibility to white-light irradiation compared with undoped ZnO TFTs.

Formation of nanocrystalline SiGe in Polycrystalline-Ge/Si thin film without any metal induced crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tah, Twisha; Singh, Ch. Kishan; Madapu, K. K.; Polaki, S. R.; Ilango, S.; David, C.; Dash, S.; Panigrahi, B. K.

2017-05-01

The formation of nanocrystalline SiGe without the aid of metal induced crystallization is reported. Re-crystallization of the as-deposited poly-Ge film (deposited at 450 °C) leads to development of regions with depleted Ge concentration upon annealing at 500 °C. Clusters with crystalline facet containing both nanocrystalline SiGe and crystalline Ge phase starts appearing at 600 °C. The structural phase characteristics were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The stoichiometry of the SiGe phase was estimated from the positions of the Raman spectral peaks.

Direct growth of ZnO tetrapod on glass substrate by Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fadzil, M. F. M.; Rahman, R. A.; Azhar, N. E. A.; Aziz, T. N. T. A.; Zulkifli, Z.

2018-03-01

This research demonstrates the growth of ZnO tetrapod structure on glass substrate for different types of flow gas and at different growth temperatures. The study on the morphological structure and electrical properties of ZnO thin film growth by Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique showed that the optimum growth temperature was obtained at 750°C with ZnO nanotetrapod morphological structure. Introducing Nitrogen gas flow during the growth process exhibited leg-to-leg linking ZnO tetrapods morphology. The electrical properties of ZnO tetrapods film were measured by using two point probes and it shows that, the sample growth in Ar and O2 atmosphere have better I-V characteristic.

Improved conversion efficiency of amorphous Si solar cells using a mesoporous ZnO pattern

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

To provide a front transparent electrode for use in highly efficient hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film solar cells, porous flat layer and micro-patterns of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle (NP) layers were prepared through ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) and deposited on Al-doped ZnO (AZO) layers. Through this, it was found that a porous micro-pattern of ZnO NPs dispersed in resin can optimize the light-trapping pattern, with the efficiency of solar cells based on patterned or flat mesoporous ZnO layers increased by 27% and 12%, respectively. PMID:25276101

Fabrication and characterization of hexagonally patterned quasi-1D ZnO nanowire arrays

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) ZnO nanowire arrays with hexagonal pattern have been successfully synthesized via the vapor transport process without any metal catalyst. By utilizing polystyrene microsphere self-assembled monolayer, sol–gel-derived ZnO thin films were used as the periodic nucleation sites for the growth of ZnO nanowires. High-quality quasi-1D ZnO nanowires were grown from nucleation sites, and the original hexagonal periodicity is well-preserved. According to the experimental results, the vapor transport solid condensation mechanism was proposed, in which the sol–gel-derived ZnO film acting as a seed layer for nucleation. This simple method provides a favorable way to form quasi-1D ZnO nanostructures applicable to diverse fields such as two-dimensional photonic crystal, nanolaser, sensor arrays, and other optoelectronic devices. PMID:24521308

Low-Concentration Indium Doping in Solution-Processed Zinc Oxide Films for Thin-Film Transistors.

PubMed

Zhang, Xue; Lee, Hyeonju; Kwon, Jung-Hyok; Kim, Eui-Jik; Park, Jaehoon

2017-07-31

We investigated the influence of low-concentration indium (In) doping on the chemical and structural properties of solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) films and the electrical characteristics of bottom-gate/top-contact In-doped ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs). The thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analysis results showed that thermal annealing at 400 °C for 40 min produces In-doped ZnO films. As the In content of ZnO films was increased from 1% to 9%, the metal-oxygen bonding increased from 5.56% to 71.33%, while the metal-hydroxyl bonding decreased from 72.03% to 9.63%. The X-ray diffraction peaks and field-emission scanning microscope images of the ZnO films with different In concentrations revealed a better crystalline quality and reduced grain size of the solution-processed ZnO thin films. The thickness of the In-doped ZnO films also increased when the In content was increased up to 5%; however, the thickness decreased on further increasing the In content. The field-effect mobility and on/off current ratio of In-doped ZnO TFTs were notably affected by any change in the In concentration. Considering the overall TFT performance, the optimal In doping concentration in the solution-processed ZnO semiconductor was determined to be 5% in this study. These results suggest that low-concentration In incorporation is crucial for modulating the morphological characteristics of solution-processed ZnO thin films and the TFT performance.

High-mobility ambipolar ZnO-graphene hybrid thin film transistors

PubMed Central

Song, Wooseok; Kwon, Soon Yeol; Myung, Sung; Jung, Min Wook; Kim, Seong Jun; Min, Bok Ki; Kang, Min-A; Kim, Sung Ho; Lim, Jongsun; An, Ki-Seok

2014-01-01

In order to combine advantages of ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs) with a high on-off ratio and graphene TFTs with extremely high carrier mobility, we present a facile methodology for fabricating ZnO thin film/graphene hybrid two-dimensional TFTs. Hybrid TFTs exhibited ambipolar behavior, an outstanding electron mobility of 329.7 ± 16.9 cm2/V·s, and a high on-off ratio of 105. The ambipolar behavior of the ZnO/graphene hybrid TFT with high electron mobility could be due to the superimposed density of states involving the donor states in the bandgap of ZnO thin films and the linear dispersion of monolayer graphene. We further established an applicable circuit model for understanding the improvement in carrier mobility of ZnO/graphene hybrid TFTs. PMID:24513629

High-mobility ambipolar ZnO-graphene hybrid thin film transistors.

PubMed

Song, Wooseok; Kwon, Soon Yeol; Myung, Sung; Jung, Min Wook; Kim, Seong Jun; Min, Bok Ki; Kang, Min-A; Kim, Sung Ho; Lim, Jongsun; An, Ki-Seok

2014-02-11

In order to combine advantages of ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs) with a high on-off ratio and graphene TFTs with extremely high carrier mobility, we present a facile methodology for fabricating ZnO thin film/graphene hybrid two-dimensional TFTs. Hybrid TFTs exhibited ambipolar behavior, an outstanding electron mobility of 329.7 ± 16.9 cm(2)/V·s, and a high on-off ratio of 10(5). The ambipolar behavior of the ZnO/graphene hybrid TFT with high electron mobility could be due to the superimposed density of states involving the donor states in the bandgap of ZnO thin films and the linear dispersion of monolayer graphene. We further established an applicable circuit model for understanding the improvement in carrier mobility of ZnO/graphene hybrid TFTs.

Effects of Chromium Dopant on Ultraviolet Photoresponsivity of ZnO Nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtari, S.; Safa, S.; Khayatian, A.; Azimirad, R.

2017-07-01

Structural and optical properties of bare ZnO nanorods, ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, and Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods have been investigated. Encapsulated ZnO nanorods were grown using a simple two-stage method in which ZnO nanorods were first grown on a glass substrate directly from a hydrothermal bath, then encapsulated with a thin layer of Cr-doped ZnO by dip coating. Comparative study of x-ray diffraction patterns showed that Cr was successfully incorporated into the shell layer of ZnO nanorods. Moreover, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed presence of Cr in this sample. It was observed that the thickness of the shell layer around the core of the ZnO nanorods was at least about 20 nm. Transmission electron microscopy of bare ZnO nanorods revealed single-crystalline structure. Based on optical results, both the encapsulation process and addition of Cr dopant decreased the optical bandgap of the samples. Indeed, the optical bandgap values of Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods, and bare ZnO nanorods were 2.89 eV, 3.15 eV, and 3.34 eV, respectively. The ultraviolet (UV) parameters demonstrated that incorporation of Cr dopant into the shell layer of ZnO nanorods considerably facilitated formation and transportation of photogenerated carriers, optimizing their performance as a practical UV detector. As a result, the photocurrent of the Cr-doped ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods was the highest (0.6 mA), compared with ZnO-encapsulated ZnO nanorods and bare ZnO nanorods (0.21 mA and 0.06 mA, respectively).

Preparation and bioactive properties of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films obtained by conversion of atomic layer deposited calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Holopainen, Jani; Kauppinen, Kyösti; Mizohata, Kenichiro; Santala, Eero; Mikkola, Esa; Heikkilä, Mikko; Kokkonen, Hanna; Leskelä, Markku; Lehenkari, Petri; Tuukkanen, Juha; Ritala, Mikko

2014-09-01

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite thin films were fabricated on silicon and titanium by atomic layer deposition (ALD) of CaCO3 and its subsequent conversion to hydroxyapatite by diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) solution. The effects of conversion process parameters to crystallinity and morphology of the films were examined. DAP concentration was found to be critical in controlling the crystal size and homogeneity of the films. The hydroxyapatite phase was identified by XRD. ToF-elastic recoil detection analysis studies revealed that the films are calcium deficient in relation to hydroxyapatite with a Ca/P ratio of 1.39 for films converted with 0.2 M DAP at 95 °C. The coatings prepared on titanium conformally follow the rough surface topography of the substrate, verifying that the good step coverage of the ALD method was maintained in the conversion process. The dissolution tests revealed that the coating was nondissolvable in the cell culture medium. Annealing the coated sample at 700 °C for 1 h seemed to enhance its bonding properties to the substrate. Also, the biocompatibility of the coatings was confirmed by human bone marrow derived cells in vitro. The developed method provides a new possibility to produce thin film coatings on titanium implants with bone-type hydroxyapatite that is biocompatible with human osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Sequential PLD in oxygen/argon gas mixture of Al-doped ZnO thin films with improved electrical and optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coman, Tudor; Timpu, Daniel; Nica, Valentin; Vitelaru, Catalin; Rambu, Alicia Petronela; Stoian, George; Olaru, Mihaela; Ursu, Cristian

2017-10-01

Highly conductive transparent Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were obtained at room temperature through sequential PLD (SPLD) from Zn and Al metallic targets in an oxygen/argon gas mixture. We have investigated the structural, electrical and optical properties as a function of the oxygen/argon pressure ratio in the chamber. The measured Hall carrier concentration was found to increase with argon injection from 1.3 × 1020 to 6.7 × 1020 cm-3, while the laser shots ratio for Al/Zn targets ablation was kept constant. This increase was attributed to an enhancement of the substitution doping into the ZnO lattice. The argon injection also leads to an increase of the Hall mobility up to 20 cm2 V-1 s-1, attributed to a reduction of interstitial-type defects. Thus, the approach of using an oxygen/argon gas mixture during SPLD from metallic targets allows obtaining at room temperature AZO samples with high optical transmittance (about 90%) and low electrical resistivity (down to 5.1 × 10-4 Ω cm).

Hydrogen-surfactant-assisted coherent growth of GaN on ZnO substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jingzhao; Zhang, Yiou; Tse, Kinfai; Zhu, Junyi

2018-01-01

Heterostructures of wurtzite based devices have attracted great research interest because of the tremendous success of GaN in light emitting diodes (LED) industry. High-quality GaN thin films on inexpensive and lattice matched ZnO substrates are both commercially and technologically desirable. Intrinsic wetting conditions, however, forbid such heterostructures as the energy of ZnO polar surfaces is much lower than that of GaN polar surfaces, resulting in 3D growth mode and poor crystal quality. Based on first-principles calculations, we propose the use of surfactant hydrogen to dramatically alter the growth mode of the heterostructures. Stable H-involved surface configurations and interfaces are investigated with the help of our newly developed modelling techniques. The temperature and chemical potential dependence of our proposed strategy, which is critical in experiments, is predicted by applying the experimental Gibbs free energy of H2. Our thermodynamic wetting condition analysis is a crucial step for the growth of GaN on ZnO, and we find that introducing H will not degrade the stability of ZnO substrate. This approach will allow the growth of high-quality GaN thin films on ZnO substrates. We believe that our new strategy may reduce the manufactory cost, improve the crystal quality, and improve the efficiency of GaN-based devices.

Dopant-driven enhancements in the optoelectronic properties of laser ablated ZnO: Ga thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Ali; Jin, Yuhua; Chao, Feng; Irfan, Muhammad; Jiang, Yijian

2018-04-01

Theoretically and experimentally evaluated optoelectronic properties of GZO (Ga-doped zinc oxide) were correlated in the present article. Density functional theory and Hubbard U (DFT + Ud + Up) first-principle calculations were used for the theoretical study. The pulsed laser deposition technique was used to fabricate GZO thin films on p-GaN, Al2O3, and p-Si substrates. X-ray diffraction graphs show single crystal growth of GZO thin films with (002) preferred crystallographic orientation. The chemical composition was studied via energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and no other unwanted impurity-related peaks were found, which indicated the impurity-free thin film growth of GZO. Field emission scanning electron microscopic micrographs revealed noodle-, seed-, and granular-like structures of GZO/GaN, GZO/Al2O3, and GZO/Si, respectively. Uniform growth of GZO/GaN was found due to fewer mismatches between ZnO and GaN (0.09%). Hall effect measurements in the van der Pauw configuration were used to check electrical properties. The highest mobility (53 cm2/Vs) with a high carrier concentration was found with low laser shots (1800). A 5-fold photoluminescence enhancement in the noodle-like structure of GZO/GaN compared with GZO/Al2O3 and GZO/Si was detected. This points toward shape-driven optical properties because the noodle-like structure is more favorable for optical enhancements in GZO thin films. Theoretical (3.539 eV) and experimental (3.54 eV) values of the band-gap were also found to be comparable. Moreover, the lowest resistivity (3.5 × 10-4 Ωcm) with 80% transmittance is evidence that GZO is a successful alternate of ITO.

Electron transporting water-gated thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Naim, Abdullah; Grell, Martin

2012-10-01

We demonstrate an electron-transporting water-gated thin film transistor, using thermally converted precursor-route zinc-oxide (ZnO) intrinsic semiconductors with hexamethyldisilazene (HMDS) hydrophobic surface modification. Water gated HMDS-ZnO thin film transistors (TFT) display low threshold and high electron mobility. ZnO films constitute an attractive alternative to organic semiconductors for TFT transducers in sensor applications for waterborne analytes. Despite the use of an electrolyte as gate medium, the gate geometry (shape of gate electrode and distance between gate electrode and TFT channel) is relevant for optimum performance of water-gated TFTs.

Structural enhancement of ZnO on SiO2 for photonic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruth, Marcel; Meier, Cedrik

2013-07-01

Multi-layer thin films are often the basis of photonic devices. Zinc oxide (ZnO) with its excellent optoelectronic properties can serve as a high quality emitter in structures like microdisks or photonic crystals. Here, we present a detailed study on the enhancement of the structural properties of low-temperature MBE grown ZnO on silica (SiO2). By thermal annealing a grain coalescence of the initially polycrystalline layer leads to an enhancement of the electronic structure, indicated by a blue shift of the photoluminescence (PL) signal maximum. Oxygen atmosphere during the annealing process prevents the creation of intrinsic defects by out-diffusion. Pre-annealing deposited SiO2 capping layers instead obstruct the recrystallization and lead to less intense emission. While thin capping layers partially detach from the ZnO film at high temperatures and cause higher surface roughness and the weakest emission, thicker layers remain smoother and exhibit a significantly stronger photoluminescence.

Praseodymium - A Competent Dopant for Luminescent Downshifting and Photocatalysis in ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, Nripasree; Deepak, N. K.

2018-05-01

Highly transparent and conducting Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films doped with Praseodymium (Pr) were deposited on glass substrates by using the spray pyrolysis method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the polycrystallinity of the deposited films with a hexagonal wurtzite structure, whereas the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis confirmed the incorporation of Pr in the films. The optical energy gap decreased by Pr doping due to the merging of the conduction band with the impurity bands formed within the forbidden gap. The room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the Pr-doped film showed enhancement of visible emission, suggesting efficient luminescent downshifting. The photocatalytic activity of the Pr-doped films is higher than that of undoped films due to the effective suppression of the rapid recombination of the photo-generated electron-hole pairs. The impurity levels formed within the forbidden gap act as efficient luminescent centers and electron traps, which lead to luminescent downshifting and enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Nanostructured ZnO films with various morphologies prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and its growing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, H. L.; Liu, Z. W.; Zeng, D. C.; Zhong, M. L.; Yu, H. Y.; Mikmekova, E.

2013-10-01

Nanostructured ZnO films were prepared by the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method using Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O as a precursor. The effects of substrate temperature (Ts) on the morphology and properties were systematically studied. As the Ts increased from 430 °C to 610 °C, the morphology of the film transforms from closed packed nanosheets to dense nanocrystalline film and then to hexagonal nanorod array. The dense film formed at a temperature of 550 °C has the lowest electric resistivity and highest carrier concentration. The optical transmittance for all prepared samples was higher than 90%. The photoluminescence (PL) properties varied with the Ts due to the internal defect difference. The growth mechanism of ZnO film involves island growth and diffusion, which was evident by observing the samples prepared at various times.

Visible tunable lighting system based on polymer composites embedding ZnO and metallic clusters: from colloids to thin films.

PubMed

Truong, Thai Giang; Dierre, Benjamin; Grasset, Fabien; Saito, Noriko; Saito, Norio; Nguyen, Thi Kim Ngan; Takahashi, Kohsei; Uchikoshi, Tetsuo; Amela-Cortes, Marian; Molard, Yann; Cordier, Stéphane; Ohashi, Naoki

2016-01-01

The development of phosphor devices free of heavy metal or rare earth elements is an important issue for environmental reasons and energy efficiency. Different mixtures of ZnO nanocrystals with Cs 2 Mo 6 I 8 (OOC 2 F 5 ) 6 cluster compound (CMIF) dispersed into polyvinylpyrrolidone matrix have been prepared by very simple and low cost solution chemistry. The resulting solutions have been used to fabricate highly transparent and luminescent films by dip coating free of heavy metal or rare earth elements. The luminescence properties of solution and dip-coated films were investigated. The luminescence of such a system is strongly dependent on the ratios between ZnO and CMIF amounts, the excitation wavelength and the nature of the system. By varying these two parameters (ratio and wavelength), a large variety of colors, from blue to red as well as white, can be achieved. In addition, differences in the luminescence properties have been observed between solutions and thin films as well as changes of CMIF emission band maximum wavelength. This may suggest some possible interactions between the different luminophore centers, such as energy transfer or ligands exchange on the Mo 6 clusters.

Intensity dependence and transient dynamics of donor-acceptor pair recombination in ZnO thin films grown on (001) silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Bing; Qiu, Z. R.; Wong, K. S.

2003-04-01

We report room-temperature time-integrated and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements on a nominally undoped wurtzite ZnO thin film grown on (001) silicon. A linear and sublinear excitation intensity Iex dependence of the PL intensity were observed for the 379.48-nm exciton line and the weak broad green band (˜510 nm), respectively. The green luminescence was found to decay as hyperbolic t-1, and its peak energy was observed to increase nearly logarithmically with increased Iex. These results are in an excellent agreement with the tunnel-assisted donor-deep-acceptor pair (DAP) model so that its large blueshifts of about 25 meV per decade increase in Iex can be accounted for by the screening of the fluctuating impurity potential. Also, the 30-ps fast decay of the exciton emission was attributed to the rapid trapping of carriers at luminescent impurities, while the short lifetime of τ1/e=200 ps for the green luminescence may be due to an alternative trapping by deeper centers in the ZnO. Finally, singly ionized oxygen and zinc vacancies have been tentatively invoked to act as donor-deep-acceptor candidates for the DAP luminescence, respectively.

Visible tunable lighting system based on polymer composites embedding ZnO and metallic clusters: from colloids to thin films

PubMed Central

Truong, Thai Giang; Dierre, Benjamin; Grasset, Fabien; Saito, Noriko; Saito, Norio; Nguyen, Thi Kim Ngan; Takahashi, Kohsei; Uchikoshi, Tetsuo; Amela-Cortes, Marian; Molard, Yann; Cordier, Stéphane; Ohashi, Naoki

2016-01-01

Abstract The development of phosphor devices free of heavy metal or rare earth elements is an important issue for environmental reasons and energy efficiency. Different mixtures of ZnO nanocrystals with Cs2Mo6I8(OOC2F5)6 cluster compound (CMIF) dispersed into polyvinylpyrrolidone matrix have been prepared by very simple and low cost solution chemistry. The resulting solutions have been used to fabricate highly transparent and luminescent films by dip coating free of heavy metal or rare earth elements. The luminescence properties of solution and dip-coated films were investigated. The luminescence of such a system is strongly dependent on the ratios between ZnO and CMIF amounts, the excitation wavelength and the nature of the system. By varying these two parameters (ratio and wavelength), a large variety of colors, from blue to red as well as white, can be achieved. In addition, differences in the luminescence properties have been observed between solutions and thin films as well as changes of CMIF emission band maximum wavelength. This may suggest some possible interactions between the different luminophore centers, such as energy transfer or ligands exchange on the Mo6 clusters. PMID:27877895

Visible tunable lighting system based on polymer composites embedding ZnO and metallic clusters: from colloids to thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truong, Thai Giang; Dierre, Benjamin; Grasset, Fabien; Saito, Noriko; Saito, Norio; Nguyen, Thi Kim Ngan; Takahashi, Kohsei; Uchikoshi, Tetsuo; Amela-Cortes, Marian; Molard, Yann; Cordier, Stéphane; Ohashi, Naoki

2016-01-01

The development of phosphor devices free of heavy metal or rare earth elements is an important issue for environmental reasons and energy efficiency. Different mixtures of ZnO nanocrystals with Cs2Mo6I8(OOC2F5)6 cluster compound (CMIF) dispersed into polyvinylpyrrolidone matrix have been prepared by very simple and low cost solution chemistry. The resulting solutions have been used to fabricate highly transparent and luminescent films by dip coating free of heavy metal or rare earth elements. The luminescence properties of solution and dip-coated films were investigated. The luminescence of such a system is strongly dependent on the ratios between ZnO and CMIF amounts, the excitation wavelength and the nature of the system. By varying these two parameters (ratio and wavelength), a large variety of colors, from blue to red as well as white, can be achieved. In addition, differences in the luminescence properties have been observed between solutions and thin films as well as changes of CMIF emission band maximum wavelength. This may suggest some possible interactions between the different luminophore centers, such as energy transfer or ligands exchange on the Mo6 clusters.

Effect of morphology evolution on the thermoelectric properties of oxidized ZnO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shiying; Li, Guojian; Xiao, Lin; Jia, Baohai; Gao, Yang; Wang, Qiang

2018-04-01

The effects of nanowire content on the thermoelectric properties of ZnO films were investigated. The nanowire content of ZnO films was tuned by thermal oxidation of evaporated Zn films. The results showed that hexagonal and polyhedral morphologies on the surface of Zn films can be used to tune the nanowire content of ZnO films. Hexagonal nanoplates with a diameter of 100-350 nm readily grew ZnO nanowires with c-axis preferential orientation. Conversely, it was difficult to grow nanowires on polyhedral nanoparticles with diameters of 500-750 nm because the meeting of ZnO (101) and (001) facets suppressed nanowire growth. Thermoelectric parameters were strongly affected by nanowire content. In particular, carrier concentration increased with nanowire content. Carrier mobility also increased with nanowire content because the nanowires behaved as channels for electronic migration. The band gap of the films narrowed with increasing nanowire content because the binding energy of O 1s electrons with oxygen vacancies decreased. The maximum power factor of the film with high nanowire content (8.80 μW/m K2 at 530 K) was approximately 300% higher than that of the film with low nanowire content.