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Silica-controlled structure and optical properties of zinc oxide sol–gel thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Yi-Dong Zhang ,
Li-Wei Wang ,
Li-Wei Mi ,
Feng-Ling Yang  and
Zhi Zheng
Yi-Dong Zhang*
Affiliation:
Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China
Li-Wei Wang
Affiliation:
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China
Li-Wei Mi
Affiliation:
Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China
Feng-Ling Yang
Affiliation:
Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China; and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China
Zhi Zheng
Affiliation:
Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000, People’s Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: zyd630@126.com
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Abstract

Transparent and high preferential c-axis-oriented ZnO thin films doped with SiO2 have been prepared by sol–gel method using zinc nitrate and tetraethylorthosilicate as precursors, absolute ethanol as solvent, and diethanolamine as sol stabilizer. Thin film deposition was performed by spin coating technique at a spinning speed of 2000 rpm/sec on glass substrate followed by calcinations at 500 °C. The structural characteristics of the samples were analyzed by x-ray diffractometer and atomic force microscope. The optical properties were studied by an ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer. The results show that all the prepared ZnO thin films have a compact hexagonal wurtzite structure. With the change in the amount of SiO2 dopants, the intensity of (002) peak, particle size, surface root mean square roughness, thickness, transmittance, absorbance, and the optical band gap of the ZnO–SiO2 thin films were changed as well.

Keywords

FilmOpticalSol–gel
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 26 , Issue 7 , 14 April 2011 , pp. 882 - 888
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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