Optical and structural properties of sol–gel prepared MgZnO alloy thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2008-01, Vol.516 (6), p.1124-1129
• Main Authors: Wang, Mingsong, Kim, Eui Jung, Kim, Sunwook, Chung, Jin Suk, Yoo, Ik-Keun, Shin, Eun Woo, Hahn, Sung Hong, Park, Chinho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Ii-vi semiconductors; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; MgZnO; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Photoluminescence; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Sol–gel method; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thermal stability; thermal effects
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2007.05.039

Mg x Zn 1− x O ( x = 0–0.5) alloy thin films were prepared by a sol–gel dip-coating method. Mg 0.1Zn 0.9O and Mg 0.5Zn 0.5O films prepared were annealed in the range of 400–900 °C to investigate their thermal stability and temperature-dependent optical properties. The Mg 0.1Zn 0.9O films were thermally stable in the investigated annealing temperature range and exhibited the maximum ultraviolet emission at 800 °C. The segregation of MgO occurred in the Mg 0.5Zn 0.5O films, and the near-band-edge ultraviolet emission of this alloy was enhanced with increasing annealing temperature. The Mg saturation content in the sol–gel prepared MgZnO alloys was found to be about 0.23 where the band gap extended to 3.48 eV.