Open AccessStructural and optical properties of ZnO:Ga thin films deposited on ito/glass substrates for optoelectronic applications
Author(s) -
D. Rusnac,
Ion Lungu,
Lidia Ghimpu,
G.V. Colibaba,
Tamara Potlog
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
moldavian journal of the physical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2537-6365
pISSN - 1810-648X
DOI - 10.53081/mjps.2021.20-1.07
Subject(s) - materials science , thin film , gallium , annealing (glass) , ohmic contact , chemical engineering , doping , substrate (aquarium) , nanotechnology , analytical chemistry (journal) , optoelectronics , metallurgy , chemistry , oceanography , layer (electronics) , chromatography , geology , engineering
Doped (with GaCl3), undoped ZnO and ITO/ZnO:Ga nanostructured thin films are synthesized using the spray pyrolysis method. The doped ZnO thin films are synthesized at the atomic ratio of Ga/Zn added in the starting solution fixed at 1, 2, 3, and 5. Gallium-doped ZnO films synthesized on glass/ITO substrates are annealed at 4500C in different environments: vacuum, oxygen, and hydrogen. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and current–voltage (I–V) measurements are applied to characterize the structural properties, composition, surface morphology, and electrical properties of ZnO:Ga nanostructured thin films. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that ZnO:Ga films deposited on glass substrates have a dense and homogeneous surface with a hexagonal structure. The ZnO:Ga films deposited on glass/ITO substrates are composed of two phases, namely, hexagonal ZnO and cubic ITO. The I–V characteristics show the presence of good ohmic contacts between Al and In metals and ZnO:Ga thin films regardless of the nature of the substrate and the annealing atmosphere.