Structural and optical characterization of nitrogen and gallium co-doped ZnO thin films, deposited by sol-gel method

Co-doped ZnO films; Film morphology; Sol-gel processing; Structure; Cobalt compounds; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Gallium; Gallium compounds; II-VI semiconductors; Metallic films; Morphology; Nitrogen; Optical properties; Scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductor doping; Sol-gel process; Structure (composition); Zinc oxide; Zinc sulfide; Co-doped ZnO; Field emission scanning electron microscopes; Optical transparency; Sol-gel technology; Structural and optical characterizations; Wurtzite structure; Thin films

Abstract :

[en] Nitrogen and gallium co-doped ZnO films have been successfully obtained by a sol-gel technology using spin coating. ZnO:N, ZnO:Ga and co-doped (N, Ga) ZnO films are deposited on silicon and quartz substrates. The structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO:N:Ga thin films are studied depending on the thermal treatments (300–600 °C) and the two dopants: N and Ga. The investigations of the doped ZnO films have been performed by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron microscope (FESEM) and UV–VIS–NIR spectrophotometry. It has been found that the co-doped (N, Ga) ZnO films are crystallized in the wurtzite structure with no impurity phases. The optical transparency of ZnO:Ga and ZnO:N:Ga films is above 80% in the spectral range of 400–800 nm, revealing a significant improvement compared to undoped ZnO films. Gallium and nitrogen co-doping in ZnO results in the modification of the surface morphologies changing from wrinkle-like (undoped ZnO) to closed packed grained microstructure (ZnO:N:Ga films). © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

Disciplines :

Chemistry
Physics

Author, co-author :

Ivanova, T.; Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia, 1784, Bulgaria

Harizanova, A.; Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy Sources, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia, 1784, Bulgaria

Koutzarova, T.; Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Tzarigradsko Chaussee 72, Sofia, 1784, Bulgaria

Vertruyen, Bénédicte ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie inorganique structurale

Closset, Raphaël ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Département de chimie (sciences)

Language :

English

Title :

Structural and optical characterization of nitrogen and gallium co-doped ZnO thin films, deposited by sol-gel method

Publication date :

2020

Journal title :

Journal of Molecular Structure

ISSN :

0022-2860

eISSN :

1872-8014

Publisher :

Elsevier B.V.

Volume :

1206

Pages :

127773

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.127773

Available on ORBi :

since 13 July 2020

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