Tailoring the properties of zinc oxide films by incorporating gold nanoparticles using RF magnetron sputtering

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2018-12, Vol.124 (12), p.1-18, Article 815
• Main Authors: Sreeja Sreedharan, R., Kavitha, V. S., Suresh, S., Reshmi Krishnan, R., Jolly Bose, R., Mahadevan Pillai, V. P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical sensors; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal defects; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallization; Emission; Gold; Grains; Incorporation; Machines; Magnetron sputtering; Manufacturing; Materials science; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Noble metals; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical filters; Optical properties; Organic chemistry; Oxide coatings; Photomicrographs; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surface roughness; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-018-2131-2

Nanoscale noble metal-incorporated ZnO nanostructures can have potential applications in developing chemical and biological sensors, optical filters, ultrafast switching devices, etc. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the as-deposited pure and Au-incorporated RF-sputtered ZnO films were investigated. XRD analysis suggests that the presence of Au nanoparticles strongly promotes the growth of well-crystalline grains of ZnO along 00 1 direction. Surface morphology examined using AFM and FESEM micrographs and compositional analysis using EDX spectra reveal that Au acts as a nucleating center for the growth of high-crystalline grains, leading to the formation of specific structures. The observed reduction in transmittance with Au incorporation concentration can be attributed to LSPR of gold nanoparticles, scattering, increased surface roughness and increased thicknesses of the films. Systematic increase in the intensity of the plasmonic peak along with a shift in its position towards longer wavelength region is observed with increase in Au incorporation concentration. The PL spectra of the films show a NBE emission due to excitonic transition in ZnO and blue emission originating from deep-level defects in ZnO. The influence of Au nanoparticles on the crystallization of ZnO grains, evolution of surface morphology of ZnO nanostructured films and modification in the UV emission efficiency of ZnO films due to SPR of Au nanoparticles are studied in detail.