Monolithic epitaxy and optoelectronic properties of single-crystalline γ-In2Se3 thin films on mica

The growth of γ-In₂Se₃ thin films on mica by molecular beam epitaxy is studied. Single-crystalline γ-In₂Se₃ is achieved at a relatively low growth temperature. An ultrathin β-In₂Se₃ buffer layer is observed to nucleate and grow through a process of self-organization at initial deposition, which facilitates subsequent monolithic epitaxy of single-crystallineγ-In₂Se₃ at low temperature. Strong room-temperature photoluminescence and moderate optoelectronic response are observed in the achieved γ-In₂Se₃ thin films.     

Effect of 60Co γ-irradiation on structural and optical properties of thin films of Ga10Se80Hg10

Thin films of Ga₁₀Se₈₀Hg₁₀ have been deposited onto a chemically cleaned Al₂O₃ substrates by thermal evaporation technique under vacuum. The investigated thin films are irradiated by ⁶⁰Co γ-rays in the dose range of 50–150 kGy. X-ray diffraction patterns of the investigated thin films confirm the preferred crystallite growth occurs in the tetragonal phase structure. It also shows, the average crystallite size increases after γ-exposure, which indicates the crystallinity of the material increases after γ-irradiation. These results were further supported by surface morphological analysis carried out by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope which also shows the crystallinity of the material increases with increasing the γ-irradiation dose. The optical transmission spectra of the thin films at normal incidence were investigated in the spectral range from 190 to 1100 nm. Using the transmission spectra, the optical constants like refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) were calculated based on Swanepoel’s method. The optical band gap (E_g) was also estimated using Tauc’s extrapolation procedure. The optical analysis shows: the value of optical band gap of investigated thin films decreases and the corresponding absorption coefficient increases continuously with increasing dose of γ-irradiation.     

Effect of Ge doping on the electrical properties of amorphous Zn–Sn–O thin films

We report the effect of germanium doping on the active layer of amorphous Zinc–Tin-Oxide (a-ZTO) thin film transistor (TFT). Amorphous thin film samples were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering using single targets composed of Zn₂Ge_0.05Sn_0.95O₄ and Zn₂SnO₄ with variable oxygen contents in the sputtering gases. In comparison with undoped, Ge-doped a-ZTO films exhibited five order of magnitude lower carrier density with a significantly higher Hall-mobility, which might be due to suppressed oxygen vacancies in the a-ZTO lattice since the Ge substituent for the Sn site has relatively higher oxygen affinity. Thus, the bulk and interface trap densities of Ge-doped a-ZTO film were decreased one order of magnitude to 7.047 × 10¹⁸ eV⁻¹cm⁻³ and 3.52 × 10¹¹ eV⁻¹cm⁻², respectively. A bottom-gate TFT with the Ge-doped a-ZTO active layer showed considerably improved performance with a reduced SS, positively shifted V_th, and two orders of magnitude increased I_on/I_off ratio, attributable to the doped Ge ions.     

Compositional dependence of the optical properties of amorphous Se100– x Te x thin films

Thin films of amorphous Se_{100 –x} Te _x with different compositions (x = 10, 20, 30 and 40 at%) were deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation. Transmission spectra T(λ) of the films at normal incidence were obtained in the spectral region from 400 to 2500 nm. A straightforward analysis proposed by Swanepoel [J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum. 17 896 (1984)], using of the maxima and minima of the interference fringes, was applied to derive the real and imaginary parts of the complex index of refraction plus film thickness. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the single-oscillator Wemple and DiDomenico model [Phys. Rev. B 3 1338 (1971)]. The optical band gap was determined from the spectral dependence of the absorption coefficient using the Tauc formula [in The Optical Properties of Solids, edited by F. Abeles (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1970), p. 227]. The refractive index increases and the optical band gap decreases with increasing tellurium content.     

Effect of Bi additive on structure and optical properties of amorphous BixIn25−xSe75 chalcogenide films

We report the structure and optical properties of thermally evaporated Bi_xIn_25?xSe₇₅ (0 ≤ x ≤ 7) films by using X-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopic techniques. The as-prepared samples were found to be amorphous by X-ray diffraction while the crystallization of Se, In₂Se₃ and Bi₂Se₃ phases has been observed upon annealing the films at 440 K. The enhancement in the main diffraction peak intensity was accepted as the increase in the crystalline character for the devitrified films with Bi content. The addition of 5 at.% of Bi results in the large change in the electrical parameters due to the carrier type reversal in the as-prepared samples. The red shift in the absorption edge along with a decrease in the transmittance has been observed for the as-prepared samples. The inverse relationship between optical gap and the tailing parameter (except x = 1) were observed with the increase in Bi content. The optical gap was found to increase up to x ≤ 1 and thereafter, resulted in the decrease in it for the thermally annealed samples. These results have been discussed in conjunction with the structural relaxation and impurity mediated heterogeneous crystallization of the film network.     

Effect of dopants on the structural,optical and electrical properties of sol–gel derived ZnO semiconductor thin films

Undoped, Ga-, In-, Zr-, and Sn-doped ZnO transparent semiconductor thin films were deposited on alkali-free glasses by sol–gel method. 2-methoxyethanol (2-ME) and diethanolamine (DEA) were chosen as a solvent and a stabilizer, respectively. The doping concentration was maintained at 2 at.% in the impurity doping precursor solutions. The effects of different dopants on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO thin films were investigated. XRD results show that all annealed ZnO-based thin films had a hexagonal (wurtzite) structure. ZnO thin films doped with impurity elements obviously improved the surface flatness and enhanced the optical transmittance. All impurity doped ZnO thin films showed high transparency in the visible range (>91%). The Ga- and In- doped ZnO thin films exhibited higher Hall mobility and lower resistivity than did the undoped ZnO thin film.     

Effect of annealing temperature on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol–gel method

In this work, ZnO thin films were synthesized by sol–gel method on glass substrates followed by calcinations on different temperatures. The effect of annealing temperature on the structure and optical properties of the films was studied. The structural characteristics of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscope. The optical properties were studied by a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The results show that all the prepared ZnO thin films have a high preferential oriented c-axis orientation with compact hexagonal wurtzite structure. With the increasing annealing temperature (mse.ufl.edu), the intensity of (002) peak, particle size, surface RMS roughness, and absorbance of the ZnO thin films were increased as well. On the contrary, the transmittance and optical band gaps were decreased.     

Second and third order nonlinear optical properties of nanostructured ZnO thin films deposited on α-BBO and LiNbO3

The nanocrystalline ZnO films were deposited on α-BaB₂O₄ (0 0 1 2) and LiNbO₃ (0 0 0 1) single crystals by RF-magnetron sputtering technique. Their structure was studied using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Besides, the optical absorption spectra were investigated. The second and third harmonic generation measurements were performed by means of the rotational Maker fringe technique using Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm in picoseconds regime. Finally, the second and third order nonlinear susceptibilities were determined and their values have been found and compared.     

On the properties and stability of thermally evaporated Ge–As–Se thin films

Thin films of Ge–As–Se chalcogenide glasses have been deposited by thermal evaporation from bulk material and submitted to thermal treatments. The linear refractive index and optical band-gap for as-deposited and annealed films have been analyzed as function of the deposition parameters, chemical composition and mean coordination number (MCN). The chemical composition of the films was found to be directly affected by deposition rate, with low rates producing films with elevated Ge and reduced As content, whilst at high rates the Ge content was generally reduced and As levels increased compared with the bulk starting material. As a result films with close to the same stoichiometry as the bulk glass could be obtained by choosing appropriate deposition conditions. As-deposited films with MCN in between 2.44 and 2.55 showed refractive indices and optical band-gaps very close to those of the bulk glass whereas outside this range the film indices were higher and the optical gaps lower than those of the bulk glass. Upon annealing at close to their glass transition temperature, high MCN films evolved such that their indices and band-gaps approached the bulk glass values whereas at low MCN films resulted in no changes to the film properties.     

Physical and optical properties of amorphous Ge x As20S80– x thin films

We report the effect of replacement of sulfur by germanium on the optical constants and some other physical parameters of chalcogenide Ge _x As₂₀S_{80– x} (where x?=?0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 at%) thin films. Increasing germanium content affected the average heat of atomization, average coordination number, number of constraints and the cohesive energy. Films with thicknesses 800–820?nm of Ge _x As₂₀S_{80– x} were prepared by thermal evaporation of bulk samples. Transmission spectra, T(λ), of the films at normal incidence were obtained in the region from 400 to 2500?nm. A straightforward analysis proposed by Swanepoel [J. Phys. E Sci. Instrum. 16 (1983) p 1214], based on the use of maxima and minima of the interference fringes, has been applied to derive the real and imaginary parts of the complex index of refraction and also the film thickness. Optical absorption measurements showed that the fundamental absorption edge is a function of composition. Optical absorption is due to allowed non-direct transition and the energy gap decreases while the refractive index increases with increasing germanium content. The chemical-bond approach has been applied to obtain the excess of S–S homopolar bonds and the cohesive energy of the Ge _x As₂₀S_{80– x} system.     

Optical properties of molybdenum oxide thin films deposited by?chemical vapor transport of MoO3(OH)2

MoO₃ thin films are useful for optical devices due to their electrochromic properties. In this study, deposition of MoO₂ thin films was successfully accomplished by chemical vapor transport (CVT) of volatile MoO₃(OH)₂. Subsequently, a MoO₃ thin film was obtained by annealing of the deposited MoO₂ at 400°C in an O₂ atmosphere. As annealing commenced, the optical transmittance of the films increased and their absorbance peaks were broadened and red-shifted due to reduced oxygen vacancy. Thus, the molybdenum oxide thin films can successfully be deposited using the CVT technique.     

Effect of preheating temperatures on microstructure and optical properties of Na-doped ZnO thin films by sol–gel process

The chemical composition, crystalline structure, surface morphology and photoluminescence spectra of Na-doped ZnO thin films with different heat treatment process were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and a fluorescence spectrometer. The results show that preferred orientation, residual stress, average crystal size and surface morphology of the thin films are strongly determined by the preheating temperature. The effects of preheating temperature on microstructure and surface morphology have been discussed in detail. The photoluminescence spectra show that there are strong violet & UV emission, blue emission and green emission bands. The violet & UV emission is ascribed to the electron transition from the localized level below the conduction band to the valence band. The blue emission is attributed to the electron transition from the shallow donor level of oxygen vacancies to the valence band, and the electron transition from the shallow donor level of interstitial zinc to the valence band. The green emission is assigned to the electron transition from the level of ionized oxygen vacancies to the valence band.     

Determination of the thickness and optical constants of amorphous Ge–Se–Bi thin films

The effect of varying bismuth concentration on the optical constants of amorphous Ge₂₀Se_{80? x} Bi _x (where x = 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 at%) thin films prepared by thermal evaporation has been investigated. The transmission spectra T(λ) of the films at normal incidence were obtained in the spectral region from 400 to 2500 nm. An analysis proposed by Swanepoel [J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum. 16 (1983) p.1214], based on the use of the maxima and minima of the interference fringes, was applied to derive the real and imaginary parts of the complex index of refraction and also the film thickness. Increasing bismuth content was found to affect the refractive index and extinction coefficient of the Ge₂₀Se_{80? x} Bi _x films. Optical absorption measurements show that the fundamental absorption edge is a function of composition. With increasing bismuth content, the refractive index increases while the optical band gap decreases.     

Effect of irradiating ion fluence on optical properties of ZnO1−x:Nx thin films

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is an effective technique to modify the optical properties of the materials. In the present investigation, the effect of 100?MeV?Ag⁷⁺ SHI irradiation fluence on the optical properties of ZnO_1?x:N_x thin films was studied. The post irradiation spectroscopic characterizations such as UV–VIS reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy analysis were carried out. The studies imply that when the SHI passes through the solid, the higher electronic stopping power of ions can weaken oxygen bonds in ZnO, resulting in the formation of donor defects such as oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials. The formation of donor defects has been acknowledged through the increase in bandgap with irradiating ion fluence. The blue shift observed from the Raman spectra for the 3?×?10¹³ ions/cm² fluence-irradiated films implies the existence of compressive stress in the films. The PL analysis acknowledges the formation of donor defects upon irradiation. Furthermore, it conveys that the presence of N atoms in ZnO lattice leads to the formation of a less number of defects as compared with undoped ZnO while irradiation.     

Effects of Si and Ti impurities on electrical properties of sol–gel-derived amorphous SrTa2O6 thin films by UV/O3 treatment

Sol–gel-derived SrTa₂O₆ thin films were fabricated at a low temperature of 500 °C. To improve their leakage current properties, additional UV/O₃-assisted annealing was performed from room temperature to 290 °C. UV/O₃ treatment at 290 °C gave a very low leakage current that was six orders of magnitude lower than that of an untreated thin film. During UV/O₃-assisted annealing, Si and Ti ions diffused from the substrates into the SrTa₂O₆ thin films and occupied the Ta⁵⁺ sites, subsequently generating Si^? and Ti^?. At a heating temperature of 290 °C, large amounts of Ti ions diffused throughout the SrTa₂O₆ thin film. These Ti ions contributed to the generation of inactive combinations of $(\mathrm{Si}^{-}\mbox{--}\mathrm{V}_{\mathrm{o}}^{+})^{+}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Ti}^{-}$ and $(\mathrm{Ti}^{-}\mbox{--}\mathrm{V}_{\mathrm{o}}^{+})^{+}\mbox{--}\mathrm{Ti}^{-}$ , which greatly reduced oxygen vacancies (V_o). Thus, the leakage current was significantly reduced.     

Effect of Fe3+ doping on structural,optical and electrical properties δ-Bi2O3 thin films

Fe³⁺ doped δ-Bi₂O₃ thin films were prepared by sol–gel method on quartz glass substrate at room temperature and annealed at 800 °C. The thin films were then characterized for structural, surface morphological, optical and electrical properties by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical absorption measurements and d.c. two-probe, respectively. The XRD analyses revealed the formation δ-Bi₂O₃ followed by a mixture of Bi₂₅FeO₄₀ and Bi₂Fe₄O₉. SEM images showed reduction in grain sizes after doping and the optical studies showed a direct band gap which reduced from 2.39 eV for pure δ-Bi₂O₃ to 1.9 eV for 10% Fe³⁺ doped δ-Bi₂O₃ thin film. The electrical conductivity measurement showed the films are semiconductors.     

Effect of annealing temperature on the microstructure and optical–electrical properties of Cu–Al–O thin films

We have successfully prepared Cu–Al–O thin films on silicon (100) and quartz substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. The as-deposited Cu–Al–O film is amorphous in nature and post-annealing treatment in argon ambience results in crystallization of the films and the formation of CuAlO₂. The annealing temperature plays an important role in the surface morphology, phase constitution and preferred growth orientation of CuAlO₂ phase, thus affecting the properties of the film. The film annealed at 900 °C is mainly composed of CuAlO₂ phase and shows smooth surface morphology with well-defined grain boundaries, thus exhibiting the optimum optical–electrical properties with electrical resistivity being 79.7 Ω·cm at room temperature and optical transmittance being 80% in visible region. The direct optical band gaps of the films are found in the range of 3.3–3.8 eV depending on the annealing temperature.     

The effect of cesium metal clusters on the optical properties of cesium iodide thin films

Cesium metal clusters strongly affect the optical properties of cesium iodide thin films. The metal clusters are formed during film formation by thermal evaporation. The cesium cluster of 30–40 nm in the matrix of cesium iodide insulating thin films results in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). The peak position of these SPR peaks showed a red shift. This was shown to be due to changes in the dielectric constant of CsI resulting from the strains in the films caused by the metal clusters themselves.