Structural and optical properties of Mn-doped ZnO nanocrystalline thin films with the different dopant concentrations

• Published in: Physica. E, Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures, 2014-07, Vol.61, p.14-22
• Main Authors: Hu, Dan, Liu, Xu, Deng, Shaojuan, Liu, Yongjun, Feng, Zhipeng, Han, Bingqian, Wang, Yan, Wang, Yude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electron, ion, and scanning probe microscopy; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Mn-doped ZnO; Nanocrystalline films; Nanoscale materials: clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; Photoluminescence; Physics; Scanning probe microscopy: scanning tunneling, atomic force, scanning optical, magnetic force, etc; Sol–gel method; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 1386-9477; 1873-1759
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physe.2014.03.007

The transparent nanocrystalline thin films of undoped zinc oxide and Mn-doped (Zn1−xMnxO) have been deposited on glass substrates via the sol–gel technique using zinc acetate dehydrate and manganese chloride as precursor. The as-deposited films with the different manganese compositions in the range of 2.5–20at% were pre-heated at 100°C for 1h and 200°C for 2h, respectively, and then crystallized in air at 560°C for 2h. The structural properties and morphologies of the undoped and doped ZnO thin films have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to examine the morphology and microstructure of the thin films. Optical properties of the thin films were determined by photoluminescence (PL) and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The analyzed results indicates that the obtained films are of good crystal quality and have smooth surfaces, which have a pure hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure without any Mn related phases. Room temperature photoluminescence is observed for the ZnO and Mn-doped ZnO thin films. [Display omitted] The transparent nanocrystalline thin films of undoped zinc oxide and Mn-doped (Zn1-xMnxO) and their optical properties are reported. •The transparent nanocrystalline ZnO thin films with different Mn doping contents were prepared by a sol–gel technique.•The surface roughness and average crystallite size of thin films are sensitive to Mn doping contents.•A board UV peak ascribed to the free exciton emission is observed in the undoped or doped ZnO thin film.