Acta Scientific Applied Physics (ASAP)

Research Article Volume 2 Issue 4

Investigation of Al-doped ZnO Thin Films Based on Powders Prepared Via Chemical Precipitation Method in Polyols

Mariem Louhichi1, Zied Ben Hamed1*, Chadlia El Manaa1,4, Samir Romdhane1,2, Shaimaa Ali3 and Habib Bouchriha1

1Laboratoire Matériaux Avancés et Phénomènes Quantiques, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
2Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, Tunisia
3Center for Photonic and Smart Materials (CPSM), Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed District, Giza, Egypt
4Department of Physics, Jazan University, Jazan, Jazan Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding Author: Zied Ben Hamed, Laboratoire Matériaux Avancés et Phénomènes Quantiques, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Received: February 28, 2022; Published: March 31, 2022

Abstract

Al-doped zinc oxide (ZnO: Al%) based on powders prepared via Polyol method is deposited on glass substrate by spin coating. Samples were annealed at 220°C, 295°C, and 370°C for 1 hour in ambient conditions. The effects of annealing and aluminum doping concentration (Al%) on the structural and optical properties of ZnO: Al% thin films are investigated by X-ray diffraction, AFM, and UV-Vis-IR spectroscopic techniques. The smallest crystallite size for ZnO: Al% is obtained with 0.6% doping owing to the formation of Al-O-Zn in the crystal lattice. The microstrain (ξ) decreases with the increasing TA which confirms the improvement of the crystalline quality of thin films. The AFM data are used to illustrate the surface morphology variation of thin films at different TA as well as Al% content. We also showed that the optical constants are considerably influenced by the Al% and TA. Photoluminescence spectra of ZnO: Al% powders analyzed based on Franck-Condon progression.

Keywords: Al-doped ZnO Thin Films; Polyol Method; X-ray Diffraction; Transmission; AFM

References

    1.       J Dong., et al. “Effect of Al doping on performance of ZnO thin-film transistors”. Applied Surface Science 433 (2018): 836-839.
    2.       O Kluth., et al. “Modified Thornton model for magnetron sputtered zinc oxide: film structure and etching behavior”. Thin Solid Films 442 (2003): 80-85.
    3.       Alberti G., et al. “Efficiency Enhancement in ZnO: Al-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Structured with Sputtered TiO2 Blocking Layers”. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C118 (2014): 6576-6585.
    4.       ST Shishiyanu., et al. “Sensing characteristics of tin-doped ZnO thin films as NO2 gas sensor”. Sensors and Actuators B 107 (2005): 379-386.
    5.       NW Emanetoglu., et al. “Epitaxial ZnO piezoelectric thin films for saw filters”. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 2 (1999): 247-252.  
    6.       N Saito., et al. “Low-Temperature Fabrication of Light-Emitting Zinc Oxide Micropatterns Using Self-Assembled Monolayers”. Advanced Materials 14 (2002): 418-421.
    7.       MH Huang., et al. “Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers”. Science 292 (2001): 1897-9.
    8.       T David., et al. “Electro-optical and structural properties of thin ZnO films, prepared by filtered vacuum arc deposition”. Thin Solid Films 447-448 (2004): 61-67.
    9.       BY Oh., et al. “Transparent conductive Al-doped ZnO films for liquid crystal displays”. Journal of Applied Physics 99 (2006): 124505-124509.
    10.   K Mahmood and SB Park. “Atmospheric pressure based electrostatic spray deposition of transparent conductive ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films: Effects of Al doping and annealing treatment”. Electronic Materials Letters 9 (2013): 161-170.
    11.   WH Kim., et al. “Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition of Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide for Transparent Conducting Electrodes”. Journal of The Electrochemical Society 158 (2011): 495-499.
    12.   AC Gâlcă., et al. “Optical properties of zinc oxide thin films doped with aluminum and lithium”. Thin Solid Films 518 (2010): 4603-4606.
    13.   V Shelke., et al. “Effect of open air annealing on spin coated aluminum doped ZnO nanostructure”. Materials Chemistry, and Physics 141 (2013): 81-88.
    14.   B Arif. “Determination of optical constants of ZnO growth by PECVD Method”. Journal of Materials and Electronic Devices 1 (2015): 28-32.
    15.   Mezni F., et al. “Facile synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals in polyol”. Materials Letterst 86 (2012): 153-156.
    16.   M Louhichi., et al. “Structural and photoluminescence properties of Al-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized in polyol”. Applied Surface Science 356 (2015): 998-1004.
    17.   BJ Jin., et al. “Thin Solid Films 366 (2000): 107-110.
    18.   YP Rakovich., et al. “Physica Status Solidi A 206 (2009): 2497-2509.
    19.   J Gosh., et al. “Tuning the visible photoluminescence in Al doped ZnO thin film and its application in label-free glucose detection”. Sensors, and Actuators, B: Chemical 254 (2018): 681-689.
    20.   LC Damonte., et al. “Structural and electronic properties of Al-doped ZnO semiconductor nanopowders: Interplay between XRD and PALS experiments and first-principles/DFT modeling”. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 735 (2018): 2471-2478.
    21.   JI Hanoka and V Vand. “Further Studies of Polytypism in Lead Iodide”. Journal of Applied Physics 39 (1968): 5288-5297.
    22.    G Lal and GC Trigunayat “Phase transformations at high temperatures in polytypic crystals of cadmium iodide”. Journal of Crystal Growth 11 (1971): 177-181.
    23.   MM Uplane., et al. “Structural, optical and electrochromic properties of nickel oxide thin films grown from electrodeposited nickel sulfide”. Applied Surface Science 253 (2007): 9365-9371.
    24.   R Tripathi., et al. “Dielectric relaxation of ZnO nanostructure synthesized by soft chemical method”. Current Applied Physics 10 (2010): 676-681.
    25.   Boukhachem B., et al. “Structural, opto-thermal and electrical properties of ZnO: Mo sprayed thin films”. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 15 (2012): 282-292.
    26.    XS Wang., et al. “Ferroelectric and dielectric properties of Li-doped ZnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition”. Applied Physics A 77 (2003): 561-565.
    27.   MA Mahdi., et al. “Structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline CdS thin films prepared using microwave-assisted chemical bath deposition”. Thin Solid Films 520 (2012): 3477-3484.
    28.   GH Jo. “Enhanced electrical and optical properties based on stress reduced graded structure of Al-doped ZnO thin films”. Ceramics International 44 (2018): 735-741.
    29.   H Li., et al. “Optical and structural analysis of rare earth and Li co-doped ZnO nanoparticles”. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 550 (2013): 526-530.
    30.   M Shaban and AM ElSayed. “Effects of lanthanum and sodium on the structural, optical and hydrophilic properties of sol-gel derived ZnO films: A comparative study”. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 41 (2016): 323-334.
    31.   T Saidani., et al. “Influence of annealing temperature on the structural, morphological and optical properties of Cu doped ZnO thin films deposited by the sol-gel method”. Superlattices, and Microstructures 75 (2014): 47-53.
    32.   M Li., et al. “A comparative study of growth and properties of atomic layer deposited transparent conductive oxide of Al-doped ZnO films from different Al precursors”. Thin Solid Films 646 (2018): 126-131.
    33.   HJ Al-Asedy., et al. “Structure, morphology and photoluminescence attributes of Al/Ga co-doped ZnO nanofilms: Role of annealing time”. Materials Research Bulletin 97 (2018): 71-80.
    34.   KM Sandeep., et al. “Nonlinear absorption properties of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films under continuous and pulsed modes of operations”. Optics and Laser Technology 102 (2018): 147-152.
    35.   S Belgacem and R Bennaceur. “Propriétés optiques des couches minces de SnO2 et CuInS2 airless spray”. Review of Physics Applied 25 (1990): 1245-1258.
    36.   M Caglar M., et al. “Influence of dopant concentration on the optical properties of ZnO: In films by sol-gel method”. Thin Solid Films 517 (2009): 5023-5028.
    37.   AF Akta Ruzzuman., et al. “Electrical, optical and annealing characteristics of ZnO: Al films prepared by spray pyrolysis”. Thin Solid Films 198 (1991): 67-74.
    38.   CM Muiva., et al. “Effect of doping concentration on the properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis for transparent electrode applications”. Ceramics International 37 (2011): 555-560.
    39.   J Lv., et al. “Effect of annealing temperature on photocatalytic activity of ZnO thin films prepared by sol-gel method”. Superlattices, and Microstructures 50 (2011): 98-106.
    40.   M Caglar., et al. “Temperature dependence of the optical band gap and electrical conductivity of sol-gel derived undoped and Li-doped ZnO films”. Applied Surface Science 256 (2010): 4966-4971.
    41.   J Ungula., et al. “Bandgap engineering, enhanced morphology and photoluminescence of un-doped, Ga and/or Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles by reflux precipitation method”. Journal of Luminescence 195 (2018): 54-60.
    42.   VK Miloslavskii and PS Pogrebniak. “The Burstein-Moss Effect in Polycrystalline ZnO Films”. Physics State Solid (b) 51 (1972): 99-102.
    43.   R Mimouni., et al. “Investigation of structural and optical properties in Cobalt-Chromium co-doped ZnO thin films within the Lattice Compatibility Theory scope”. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 624 (2015): 189-194.
    44.   C Mrabet., et al. “Some physical investigations on hexagonal-shaped nanorods of lanthanum-doped ZnO”. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 648 (2015): 826-837.
    45.   W Al-Taa’y., et al. “Effect of Nano ZnO on the Optical Properties of Poly (vinyl chloride): Films”. International Journal of Polymer Science 2014 (2014): 1-6.
    46.   Akkari C., et al. “Optical study of zinc blend SnS and cubic In2S3:Al thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition”. Journal of Material Science 46 (2011): 6285-6292.
    47.    M Sesha Reddy., et al. “Optical constants of polycrystalline CuGaTe2 films”. Optical Materials 4 (1995): 787-790.
    48.   A Boukhachem., et al. “Physical investigations on MoO3 sprayed thin film for selective sensitivity applications”. Ceramics International 40 (2014): 13427-13435.
    49.    AK Walton and TS Moss. “Determination of Refractive Index and Correction to Effective Electron Mass in PbTe and PbSe”. Proceedings of the Physical Society 81 (1963): 509-513.
    50.   W Zhang. “Tailoring of optical and electrical properties of transparent and conductive Al-doped ZnO films by adjustment of Al concentration”. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 74 (2018): :147-153.
    51.   R Boughalmi., et al. “Effect of tin content on the electrical and optical properties of sprayed silver sulfide semiconductor thin films”. Material Science Semiconductor Processing 16 (2013): 1584-1591.

Citation

Citation: Zied Ben Hamed., et al. “Investigation of Al-doped ZnO Thin Films Based on Powders Prepared Via Chemical Precipitation Method in Polyols". Acta Scientific Applied Physics 2.4 (2022): 09-27.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Zied Ben Hamed., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate32%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days
Impact Factor1.014

Indexed In




News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is November 25, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"
  • Welcoming Article Submission
    Acta Scientific delightfully welcomes active researchers for submission of articles towards the upcoming issue of respective journals.

Contact US





//