Structural and DC electrical investigations of ZnO thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2001, Vol.296 (4), p.319-325
• Main Authors: Riad, A.S., Mahmoud, S.A., Ibrahim, A.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electrical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Other inorganic semiconductors; Physics; Spray pyrolysis; Thin films; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/S0921-4526(00)00571-8

Thin films of ZnO onto glass substrate at different substrate temperatures Ts, ranging from 180°C to 450°C, have been prepared using a spray pyrolysis process. X-ray diffraction showed that the films prepared at Ts greater than 300°C exhibit the hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferential orientation along (002) direction. All electrical properties have been investigated for films at Ts=400°C. A relative permittivity of 9.8 is calculated from the capacitance measurements. Thermally generated electron concentration, n0=(2.8–6.7)×1010m−1, and trapping factor, θ=(8.02–18.22)×10−12 have been evaluated from the analysis of current–voltage characteristics at room temperature assuming a plausible value of carrier mobility, 1.8m2V−1s−1. The obtained values n0 and θ are correlated with the crystallite size.