Title: Characterisation of ZnO thin films doped and co-doped grown by pneumatic spray pyrolysis

Authors: F. Chouikh; Y. Beggah; H. Mati; Y. Bouznit; M. Birem; N. Ariche; M.S. Aida

Addresses: Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Laboratory of Materials Study LEM, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algeria ' Department of Physics, Laboratory of Thin Films and Interface, Faculty of Science, University Mentouri of Constantine, 25000 Constantine, Algeria

Abstract: From all the transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) studied in recent years, zinc oxide has emerged as one of the most promising materials. In the present work and in the order to obtain the high TCO materials, ZnO films were deposited by pneumatic spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates. Our interest is on the investigation of the doping kinds influence on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films. One has used two dopants i.e., Bi and Sn. All the films were found to be polycrystalline and show a (0 0 2) preferential growth, the preferred orientation does not depend on the nature of dopant. The optical characterisation of deposited films was carried out using UV-Vis spectrometry. The analysis of the transmittance spectra allows us to deduce the films thicknesses and optical band gaps. Hence, the values of the gap were found to be between 3.24 to 3.32 eV.

Keywords: ZnO thin films; zinc oxide; Bi-Sn co-doping; bismuth doping; tin doping; transmission; XRD characterisation; transparent conducting oxides; TCO; pneumatic spray pyrolysis; glass substrates; structural properties; optical properties; film thicknesses; optical band gaps.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2013.054993

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2013 Vol.6 No.2/3, pp.178 - 190

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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