Studies on Crystal Orientation of ZnO Film on Sapphire Using High-throughout X-ray Diffraction

IntroductionIt is well known that ZnO, a wide band-gap semi-conductor, is a promising material because of its wideband gap of 3.37 eV at room temperature(RT) and itslarge excitonic binding energy of about60 meV; it canbe used to prepare high-efficiency ul…     

Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Films with Different Thicknesses Grown on Sapphire by MOCVD

IntroductionZnOis one of the most promising materials for pro-ducing ultraviolet laser at room temperature because ofits wide direct band gap(Eg=3.37eV)and large ex-citonic binding energy of60meV.Recently,much at-tention has been paid to short-wavelength …     

A novel diamine adduct of zinc bis(2-thenoyl-trifluoroacetonate) as a promising precursor for MOCVD of zinc oxide films

A novel diamine (N,N,N',N'-tetramethyletilendiamine) adduct of zinc bis(2-thenoyl-trifluoroacetonate) has been synthesized in a single-step reaction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of Zn(tta)(2).tmeda provide evidence of a mononuclear structure with a six-coordinated zinc ion. The thermal behavior of this adduct points to mass-transport properties suitable for its application to MOCVD processes. This novel compound has been successfully applied as a precursor for the deposition of ZnO films on (100) Si and quartz substrates. The good quality of the deposited films indicates that the adduct is a very attractive precursor for MOCVD applications.     

Structure and morphology of nanostructured zinc oxide thin films Prepared by dip-vs. spin-coating methods

In this study, we use dipping and spinning methods to coat glass slides with sol-gel ZnO thin films, composed of zinc acetate dihydrate, monoethanolamine (MEA), de-ionized water and isopropanol. The effect of the annealing temperature on the structural morphology and optical properties of these films is investigated. These ZnO films were preheated at 275 °C for 10 min and annealed either at 350, 450 or 550 °C for 60 min. As-deposited films, formed by amorphous zinc oxide-acetate submicron particles, are transformed into a highly-oriented ZnO after thermal treatment. The surface morphology, phase structure and optical properties of the thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical transmittance. Both techniques produced nanostructured ZnO thin films with well-defined orientation. The annealed films were transparent in the visible range with an absorption edge at about 375 nm and a transmittance of ca 85–90% with an average diameter of 40 nm. XRD results show the film was composed of polycrystalline wurtzite, with a preferential c-axis orientation of (002) and a single sharp XRD peak at 34.40, corresponding to the hexagonal ZnO. The grain size is increased by the annealing temperature. Both coating techniques create sol-gel ZnO films with the potential for application as transparent electrodes in optic and electronic devices.     

Enhanced super-hydrophobic and switching behavior of ZnO nanostructured surfaces prepared by simple solution--immersion successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction process

A simple and cost-effective successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method was adopted to fabricate hydrophobic ZnO nanostructured surfaces on transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO), glass and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. ZnO films deposited on different substrates show hierarchical structures like spindle, flower and spherical shape with diameters ranging from 30 to 300 nm. The photo-induced switching behaviors of ZnO film surfaces between hydrophobic and hydrophilic states were examined by water contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. ZnO nanostructured films had contact angles of ~140° and 160°±2 on glass and PET substrates, respectively, exhibiting hydrophobic behavior without any surface modification or treatment. Upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) illumination, the films showed hydrophilic behavior (contact angle: 15°±2), which upon low thermal stimuli revert back to its original hydrophobic nature. Such reversible and repeatable switching behaviors were observed upon cyclical exposure to ultraviolet radiation. These biomimetic ZnO surfaces exhibit good anti-reflective properties with lower reflectance of 9% for PET substrates. Thus, the present work is significant in terms of its potential application in switching devices, solar coatings and self-cleaning smart windows.     

Ultraviolet emission of ZnO nano-polycrystalline films by modified successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction technique

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nano-polycrystalline films were successfully prepared by modified successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction at room temperature technique which was based on the alternate immersion of substrate in the alkaline zinc precursor and deionized water. ZnO films were formed through accumulation of ZnO crystal clusters. The synthesis, microstructure, and optical properties of ZnO nano-polycrystalline films were investigated. Prepared ZnO films exhibited wurtzite structure, with good surface morphology and optical properties. Ethanolamine was employed as a complex reagent, which improved the adsorption of zinc complex with substrate. Effects of technique parameters on the properties of ZnO nano-polycrystalline films were studied in detail. Some parameters, including cycle number of preparation, ratio of zinc to ethanolamine, pH value of precursor and zinc concentration, played key roles in the deposition of ZnO nano-polycrystalline films. Intensive and sharp ultraviolet emission peaks at about 400 nm could be observed in the photoluminescence spectra.     

Spectroelectrochemical Evaluation of a ZnO Optically Transparent Electrode Prepared by the Spin‐spray Technique

We present a novel zinc oxide (ZnO) optically transparent electrode (OTE) prepared by the spin‐spray technique for spectroelectrochemistry. The spin‐spray technique can deposit ZnO film at a low cost, high rate deposition, and at a low temperature (<100 °C) in a single step. This new technique provides good optical transparency and electrical conductivity for ZnO. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of the ZnO electrode were investigated for varying thicknesses of ZnO using methylene blue as a redox indicator. A ZnO OTE chip that includes three electrodes on a glass chip was developed for thin‐layer spectroelectrochemistry. Moreover, the ZnO films were successfully applied in an electrochemical‐localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) method for methylene blue detection by using them as a transparent conducting substrate for loading gold nanoparticles.     

MOCVD-derived highly transparent, conductive zinc- and tin-doped indium oxide thin films: precursor synthesis, metastable phase film growth and characterization, and application as anodes in polymer light-emitting diodes

Four diamine adducts of bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)zinc [Zn(hfa)(2).(diamine)] can be synthesized in a single-step reaction. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies reveal monomeric, six-coordinate structures. The thermal stabilities and vapor phase transport properties of these new complexes are considerably greater than those of conventional solid zinc metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) precursors. One of the complexes in the series, bis(1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentadionato)(N,N'-diethylethylenediamine)zinc, is particularly effective in the growth of thin films of the transparent conducting oxide Zn-In-Sn-O (ZITO) because of its superior volatility and low melting point of 64 degrees C. ZITO thin films with In contents ranging from 40 to 70 cation % (a metastable phase) were grown by low-pressure MOCVD. These films exhibit conductivity as high as 2900 S/cm and optical transparency comparable to or greater than that of commercial Sn-doped indium oxide (ITO) films. ZITO films with the nominal composition of ZnIn(2.0)Sn(1.5)O(z)() were used in fabrication of polymer light-emitting diodes. These devices exhibit light outputs and current efficiencies almost 70% greater than those of ITO-based control devices.     

从晶体取向特点探讨ZnO薄膜的晶体不完整性

用MOCVD法在蓝宝石衬底上得到了ZnO(0002)膜, 并用XRD和SEM进行了表征. 结果表明， 薄膜中沿［0001］择优取向生长的柱状晶垂直于衬底表面, 晶柱之间存在着边界和间隙. X射线Ф扫描实验结果表明, 晶柱之间的取向偏差在3°~30°之间. X射线ω摇摆曲线和谱线宽度分析结果表明, 薄膜中的晶柱是由多个晶粒堆叠而成, 且晶粒之间的平均取向偏差也在2.6°以上. 实验结果表明, ZnO大失配度异质外延膜是c轴［0001］取向柱状多晶体, ZnO薄膜的结晶不完整性主要是由其柱状晶结构造成的.     

Influence of Annealing on Properties of ZnO Films Grown via Plasma－enhanced MOCVD

The structural and the optical properties of ZnO films with high quality grown via plasma-enhanced met-al-organic chemical vapour deposition(MOCVD) on C-plane sapphire substrate were studied. The crystallini-ty and the optical properties of the films are greatly improved having been annealed in oxygen plasma atmo-sphere. The structure, the band gap and the binding energy of O1s electrons, and the molar ratio of O to Zn were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron scan meth-ods. For both the annealed and the as-grown films, the exciton peak features were observed at room temper-ature. The band-edge photolof the annealed film is much stronger than that of the as-grown film, and the exciton peak relating to the deep level at 439 nm disappears. The molar ratio of O to Zn in the annealed film is 0. 91, while it is 0. 78 for the as-urown film.     

Luminescence properties of Cu‐ion‐implanted and annealed ZnO thin films deposited by chemical vapor deposition and pulsed laser deposition

Ion implantation techniques were used to study the effect of an MgO additive on the luminescence properties induced by Cu in ZnO thin films. Cu ions (accelerating voltage of 75 keV, dose of 4.5 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm²) were implanted at room temperature in nondoped and Mg‐doped ZnO thin films. After annealing, emissions in the visible region originating from Cu phosphor were observed at 510 nm in CVD‐ZnO and at 450 nm in Mg‐doped ZnO (MZO) thin films. The Cu depth profile shows distortion in the low‐concentration region of CVD‐ZnO. After the annealing, the Cu implant was homogenized in thin films, and then the Cu concentration was determined to be 1.5 × 10¹⁹ ions/cm³ in CVD‐ZnO and 5.6 × 10¹⁸ ions/cm³ in MZO thin films. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photoluminescence Properties of Two-dimensional Planar Layer and Three-dimensional Island Layer for ZnO Films Grown Using MOCVD

IntroductionOver the past few years, wide band gap semicon-ductors have attracted considerable attention because oftheir high commercial demand for the preparation ofblue and UV light emitters. The most promising amongall the known materials used for this…     

Binding studies of molecular linkers to ZnO and MgZnO nanotip films

Two bifunctional linkers, a rigid-rod p-ethynyl-isophthalic acid capped with a Ru(II)-polypyridyl complex and 3-mercaptopropionic acid, were covalently bound to ZnO nanotip films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technology. This highly vertically aligned, crystalline form of ZnO had not been functionalized before. The binding was studied by Fourier transform (FT) IR and UV spectroscopies and probed, in the case of the Ru complex, by static and dynamic fluorescence quenching. The molecules did bind through the carboxylic acid groups, and the FT-IR attenuated total reflectance spectra are indicative of a bidentate carboxylate binding mode. Other molecules (heptanoic acid, isophthalic acid, and trimethoxy(2-phenylethyl)silane) were also bound to the ZnO nanotips. A comparison was made with epitaxial ZnO films grown by MOCVD and ZnO mesoporous films prepared from colloidal solutions to investigate the effect of the ZnO morphology. The ZnO nanotips were excellent binding substrates, particularly for the rigid-rod linker. Since ZnO films are etched at low pH (< 4), novel nanotip films made of ternary MgxZn1-xO, which is formed by alloying ZnO with MgO and is more resistant to acids, were developed. The MgxZn1-xO nanotip films were employed to use linkers with acidic groups and to study the effect of pH pretreatment of the surface on the binding.     

The effects of oxygen concentration on ultraviolet luminescence of ZnO films by sol–gel technology and annealing

ZnO thin films were successfully deposited on SiO₂/Si substrate using the sol–gel technique and annealed in various annealing atmospheres at 900 °C by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). X-ray diffraction revealed the (002) texture of ZnO thin films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the grains of the ZnO thin film were enlarged and its surface was smoothed upon annealing in oxygen. PL measurement revealed two ultraviolet (UV) luminescence bands at 375 and 380 nm. The intensity of the emission peak at 380 nm became stronger as the concentration of oxygen in the annealing atmosphere increased. The X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS) demonstrated that a more stoichiometric ZnO thin film was obtained upon annealing in oxygen and more excitons were generated from the radiative recombination carriers consistently. Additionally, the UV intensity increased with the thickness of ZnO thin film.     

Transparent polymeric hybrid film of ZnO nanoparticle quantum dots and PMMA with high luminescence and tunable emission color

ZnO nanoparticle quantum dots (QDs)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites are synthesized by conventional radical polymerization in the presence of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (TPM)-modified ZnO nanoparticle QDs. Although unmodified ZnO nanoparticle QDs were precipitated in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and show only weak emissions under UV irradiation, ZnO nanoparticle QDs/PMMA composite is well dispersed in THF and shows high emissions. TPM acts as the stabilizer and promotes the compatibility between the ZnO nanoparticle QDs and the PMMA matrix. After evaporation of THF from the ZnO nanoparticle QDs/PMMA composite solution, transparent polymeric hybrid films of ZnO nanoparticle QDs and PMMA are obtained. These polymeric hybrid films are characterized by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. The hybrid film exhibited a high quantum yield and PL emission under ultraviolet excitation. PL emission has been successfully tuned from blue to yellow.     

Wide Band Gap Transparent Polymer-Inorganic Composite Thin Films by Dip-Coating Method: Preparation and Characterizations

Wide band gap transparent polymer-inorganic (PVA-ZnO) composite thin films were prepared by the dip-coating method. Functional groups and metal oxide vibrations were found from Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. The elements Zn and O were confirmed from energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the sharp diffraction peaks correspond to the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO in the PVA matrix. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the ZnO nanoparticles are randomly distributed throughout the entire film surface. The optical study reveals that the transmittance was more than 85% with very low absorption and wide band gap energy (4.03 to 3.95 eV). The obtained results indicate that the high transmittance, very low absorption, and wide band gap energy of the prepared dip-coated composite thin films make them suitable for use in transparent optoelectronic device applications in the near future.     

Improved optical and electrical properties of sol–gel-derived boron-doped zinc oxide thin films

Sol–gel spin-coating was used to grow zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films doped with 0–2.5 at.% B on quartz substrates. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the thin films were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and van der Pauw Hall-effect measurements. All the thin films had deposited well onto the quartz substrates and exhibited granular morphology. The average crystallite size, lattice constants, residual stress, and lengths of the bonds in the crystal lattice of the thin films were calculated from the XRD data. The PL spectra showed near-band-edge (NBE) and deep-level emissions, and B doping varied the PL properties and increased the efficiency of the NBE emission. The optical transmittance spectra for the undoped ZnO and boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO) thin films show that the optical transmittance of the BZO thin films was significantly higher than that of the undoped ZnO thin films in the visible region of the spectra and that the absorption edge of the BZO thin films was blue-shifted. In addition, doping the ZnO thin films with B significantly varied the absorption coefficient, optical band gap, Urbach energy, refractive index, extinction coefficient, single-oscillator energy, dispersion energy, average oscillator strength, average oscillator wavelength, dielectric constant, and optical conductivity of the BZO thin films. The Hall-effect data suggested that B doping also improved the electrical properties such as the carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity of the thin films.     

Study on luminescence characteristic of the ZnO/polymer hybrid films

The cyclohexane solution of PS (polystyrene) and the ethyl acetate solution of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) were used as flowing liquid; the ZnO/polymer hybrid colloids were successively produced by focused pulsed laser ablation of ZnO target in interface of solid and flowing liquid. As solvent in the hybrid colloids has volatized, the ZnO/polymer hybrid films were obtained. The hybrid colloids were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and select-area electron diffraction (SEAD). The results show a good dispersion of the ZnO nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The hybrid films were characterized by fluorescence spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry with FTIR (TG/FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectrum. The results show the ZnO/polymer hybrid films can radiate strong blue light under ultraviolet. Meanwhile, the ZnO/polymer hybrid films have higher chemical stability than ZnO nanoparticles because nano-ZnO nanoparticles were enwrapped by polymers. In addition, the ZnO hybrid films have higher thermal stability then the related pure polymers because of strong interaction among ZnO nanoparticles and polymers.     

Photoinduced charge transfer in ZnO/Cu(2)O heterostructure films studied by surface photovoltage technique

ZnO/Cu(2)O heterostructure films were prepared by a two-step electrodeposition method in aqueous solution on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and UV-vis transmission measurements were utilized to characterize the films. Surface photovoltage (SPV) technique was used to investigate the process of photoinduced charge transfer. The results show that there is an electric field located at the interface between ZnO and Cu(2)O film and the photoinduced electrons in Cu(2)O film inject into ZnO under the effect of interfacial electric field with visible light irradiation. While under ultraviolet light illumination, the photoinduced electrons in Cu(2)O film accumulate at the surface of Cu(2)O film instead of injecting into ZnO under the action of surface built-in electric field of Cu(2)O film. The work function measurements confirm that the direction of interfacial electric field is from ZnO to Cu(2)O. These results are help to future design of high performance heterostructure photovoltaic devices.     

Effects of In, Al and Sn dopants on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films

Effect of In, Al and Sn dopants on the optical and structural properties of ZnO thin films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction technique and optical characterization method. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm that the films have polycrystalline nature. The thin films have (002) as the preferred orientation. This (002) preferred orientation is due to the minimal surface energy which the hexagonal structure, c-plane to the ZnO crystallites, corresponds to the densest packed plane. The grain size values of the films are found to be 29.0, 35.2 and 39.5 nm for In, Al and Sn doped ZnO thin films, respectively. The optical band gaps of the films were calculated. The absorption edge shifts to the lower wavelengths with In, Al and Sn dopants. The inclusion of dopant into films expands also width of localized states as E(UIn)>E(UAl)>E(USn). The refractive index dispersion curves obey the single oscillator model. The dispersion parameters and optical constants of the films were determined. These parameters changed with In, Al and Sn dopants.