scholarly journals Ecofriendly Water-Based Solution Processing: Preliminary Studies of Zn-ZrO2 Thin Films for Microelectronics Applications

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 901
Author(s):  
Aneeqa Bashir ◽  
Hina Siddiqui ◽  
Shahzad Naseem ◽  
Arshad Saleem Bhatti

This paper demonstrates the high yield and cost effectiveness of a simple and ecofriendly water-based solution processing, to produce Zinc-doped Zirconia (Zn-ZrO2) composite thin films, onto glass substrates, with excellent optical properties that make them of great interest for optical and microelectronics technologies. The effect of Zn variation (given as 10, 15, 20 at.%) on the crystallization, microstructure, and optical properties of ZrO2 film was examined. The addition of Zn did not restructure the ZrO2 lattice, as the results indicated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy revealed neither any mixed or individual phases; rather, all the films retained the amorphousness. Nonetheless, Zn did control the grain formation at the film surfaces, thereby changing the surface morphology. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evidenced homogeneous, compact, crack-free, and dense films with surface roughness below 2 nm indicating smooth surfaces. The films were highly transparent (>80%) with tunable optical band gap Eg (5.21 to 4.66 eV) influenced by Zn dopant. Optical constants such as refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), and dielectric constant (ε) were obtained from spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), and a correlation was established with respect to the doping level. A high value of n > 2 value indicated high packing density in these films, and it decreased slightly from 2.98 to 2.60 (at 632 nm); whereas, optical losses were brought down with increasing Zn indicated by decreasing k values. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed UV emissions more pronounced than the blue emissions indicating good structural quality of all the films. Nonetheless, added defects from Zn had suppressed the PL emission. The technique presented in this work, thus, manifests as high performance and robust and has the potential comparable to the sophisticated counter techniques. Furthermore, the Zn-ZrO2 films are promising for a low-cost solution to processed microelectronics and optical technologies after reaching high performance targets with regards to the electrical properties.

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 821
Author(s):  
Aneeqa Bashir ◽  
Mehwish Farooq ◽  
Abdul Malik ◽  
Shahzad Naseem ◽  
Arshad Saleem Bhatti

An environmentally friendlier solution processing has been introduced to fabricate zirconium oxide (ZrO2) films on quartz substrates, using spin coating of simple water-based solution. The films cured with UV-A = 330 nm for different times (40, 80, 120 min) were investigated for structural and optical properties and compared with thermally annealed film (at 350 °C). XRD and Raman spectroscopy showed amorphous structure in all the samples with no significant phase transformation with UV-A exposure. AFM microscopy showed smooth and crack free films with surface roughness ≤2 nm that reduced with UV-A exposure. Ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy demonstrated optical transmittance ≥88% and energy band gap variations as 4.52–4.70 eV. Optical constants were found from spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The refractive index (n) values, measured at 470 nm increased from 1.73 to 2.74 as the UV-A exposure prolonged indicating densification and decreasing porosity of the films. The extinction coefficient k decreased from 0.32 to 0.19 indicating reduced optical losses in the films under the UV-A exposure. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibited more pronounced UV emissions which grew intense with UV-A exposure thereby improving the film quality. It is concluded that UV-A irradiation can significantly enhance the optical properties of ZrO2 films with minimal changes induced in the structure as compared to thermally treated film. Moreover, the present work indicates that water-based solution processing has the potential to produce high-quality ZrO2 films for low cost and environmental friendlier technologies. The work also highlights the use of UV-A radiations as an alternate to high temperature thermal annealing for improved quality.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 901-906
Author(s):  
K. Radhi Devi ◽  
G. Selvan ◽  
M. Karunakaran ◽  
K. Kasirajan

Pure and metals (Mn & Mg) doped zinc oxide (ZnO, ZnO/Mn and ZnO/Mg) thin films have been successfully grown onto a glass substrates by low cost SILAR method. The structural, morphological, compositional, functional group and optical properties of the prepared films were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and EDAX, FTIR and UV-visible spectrophotometer, respectively. The structure of the films were found to be hexagonal with polycrystalline in nature with preferential orientation along (002) plane. From Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, the presence of functional groups and its corresponding molecular vibrations were assessed. In UV-visible spectroscopy, the obtained direct optical band gap values 3.46, 3.56 and 3.7 eV for pure, Mn and Mg doped ZnO thin films, respectively. Morphological results showed that the remarkable changes in morphology due to the effect of metal doping. EDAX studies showed that the presence of zinc and oxygen content and also a doping metal ions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 10301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajar Ftouhi ◽  
Zouhair El Jouad ◽  
Mohammed Jbilou ◽  
Mustafa Diani ◽  
Mohammed Addou

In this paper, transparent conducting thin films based on both undoped and vanadium (V) doped zinc oxide Zn1−xVx O (x = 3, 5, 7 at.%), were studied. The thin films were prepared using a simple low cost deposition technique called spray pyrolysis (SP). The layers were deposited onto preheated glass substrates at 450 °C. The effect of vanadium on the microstructural, the morphological and the optical properties of ZnO material was carried out using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), micro Raman spectroscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDX) and UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. We have demonstrated that doping with 3 at.% of V enhances the crystallinity of the films by estimating the grain size value, the dislocation density and the residual stress. Also, the SEM images have demonstrated that the vanadium concentrations do effect in the thin films morphology, from hexagonal-shaped grains to rounded crystals for higher doping concentrations. The optical analysis revealed that doping with 3 at.% of vanadium shows a remarkable enhancement in the average transmittance in the visible range 89% and in the band gap energy (3.3 eV). Moreover, the disorder inside the samples was estimated using Urbach equation. Therefore, the microstructural, the morphological and the optical results approve that doping with 3 at.% of V in ZnO lattices gives interesting results for the optical window material for solar cells application.


Author(s):  
Atefeh Nazari Setayesh ◽  
Hassan Sedghi

Background: In this work, CdS thin films were synthesized by sol-gel method (spin coating technique) on glass substrates to investigate the optical behavior of the film. Methods: Different substrate spin coating speeds of 2400, 3000, 3600 rpm and different Ni dopant concentrations of 0 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, 5 wt.%) were investigated. The optical properties of thin films such as refraction index, extinction coefficient, dielectric constant and optical band gap energy of the layers were discussed using spectroscopic ellipsometry method in the wavelength range of 300 to 900 nm. Results: It can be deduced that substrate rotation speed and dopant concentration has influenced the optical properties of thin films. By decreasing rotation speed of the substrate which results in films with more thicknesses, more optical interferences were appeared in the results. Conclusion: The samples doped with Ni comparing to pure ones have had more optical band gap energy.


Author(s):  
Minakshi Chaudhary ◽  
Yogesh Hase ◽  
Ashwini Punde ◽  
Pratibha Shinde ◽  
Ashish Waghmare ◽  
...  

: Thin films of PbS were prepared onto glass substrates by using a simple and cost effective CBD method. Influence of deposition time on structural, morphology and optical properties have been investigated systematically. The XRD analysis revealed that PbS films are polycrystalline with preferred orientation in (200) direction. Enhancement in crystallinity and PbS crystallite size has been observed with increase in deposition time. Formation of single phase PbS thin films has been further confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology analysis revealed the formation of prismatic and pebble-like PbS particles and with increase in deposition time these PbS particles are separated from each other without secondary growth. The data obtained from the EDX spectra shows the formation of high-quality but slightly sulfur rich PbS thin films over the entire range of deposition time studied. All films show increase in absorption with increase in deposition time and a strong absorption in the visible and sub-band gap regime of NIR range of the spectrum with red shift in band edge. The optical band gap shows decreasing trend, as deposition time increases but it is higher than the band gap of bulk PbS.


Author(s):  
Shikai Yan ◽  
Sheng Tang ◽  
Manman Luo ◽  
Lu Xue ◽  
Shilin Liu ◽  
...  

CsPbBr3-based photodetectors (PDs) have aroused enormous attention owing to their low-cost solution processing, outstanding optoelectronic properties, and remarkable stability. However, their performances remain a big challenge to meet the requirement...


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Lung Chuang ◽  
Ming Wei Chang ◽  
Nien Po Chen ◽  
Chung Chiang Pan ◽  
Chung Ping Liu

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were grown on glass substrates by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Annealing at the optimal temperature can considerably improve the composition, structure, optical properties, and electrical properties of the ITO film. An ITO sample with a favorable crystalline structure was obtained by annealing in fixed oxygen/argon ratio of 0.03 at 400°C for 30 min. The carrier concentration, mobility, resistivity, band gap, transmission in the visible-light region, and transmission in the near-IR regions of the ITO sample were-1.6E+20 cm−3,2.7E+01 cm2/Vs,1.4E-03 Ohm-cm, 3.2 eV, 89.1%, and 94.7%, respectively. Thus, annealing improved the average transmissions (400–1200 nm) of the ITO film by 16.36%. Moreover, annealing a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cell at 400°C for 30 min in air improved its efficiency by 18.75%. The characteristics of annealing ITO films importantly affect the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of ITO films that are used in solar cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kooliyankal Naseema ◽  
Kaniyamkandy Ribin ◽  
Nidiyanga Navya ◽  
Prasoon Prasannan

AbstractNano crystalline zinc sulfide thin films were deposited onto glass substrates by chemical bath deposition method. One of the samples was annealed at 300 °C for 2 h in air using a muffle furnace. The prepared thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy (FT-R) studies before and after annealing. The analysis confirmed the thermal-induced anion substitution and conversion of ZnS crystal to ZnO wurtzite crystal. XRD pattern showed that these films were phase pure and polycrystalline in nature. Optical band gap was found to be 3.86 eV for ZnS and 3.21 eV for ZnO. The films prepared by this simple, low-cost technique are suitable for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.


2013 ◽  
Vol 665 ◽  
pp. 159-167
Author(s):  
M.S. Jani ◽  
H.S. Patel ◽  
J.R. Rathod ◽  
K.D. Patel ◽  
V.M. Pathak ◽  
...  

In this paper structural and optical properties of CdSe thin films with different thickness deposited by thermal evaporation under vacuum onto glass substrates are presented. The structural investigations performed by means of XRD technique showed that the films have a polycrystalline and hexagonal (würtzite) structure. The values of some important parameters of the studied films (absorption coefficient and optical bandgap energy) are determined from transmission spectra. The values of the optical bandgap energy (Eg) calculated from the absorption spectra, ranged between 1.67 - 1.74 eV.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
Baghdad Science Journal

Undoped and Co-doped zinc oxide (CZO) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique using solution of zinc acetate and cobalt chloride. The effect of Co dopants on structural and optical properties has been investigated. The films were found to exhibit maximum transmittance (~90%) and low absorbance. The structural properties of the deposited films were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD). These films, deposited on glass substrates at (400? C), have a polycrystalline texture with a wurtzite hexagonal structure, and the grain size was decreased with increasing Co concentration, and no change was observed in lattice constants while the optical band gap decreased from (3.18-3.02) eV for direct allowed transition. Other parameters such as Texture Coefficient (Tc), dislocation density (?) and number of crystals (M) were also calculated .


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