Synthesis and characterization of ZnO thin film grown by electron beam evaporation

• DOI: 10.1063/1.2204333
• Publication Date: 2006-08-09T17:02:20Z
• Authors: D. C. Agarwal; R. S. Chauhan; Amit Kumar; D. Kabiraj; F. Singh; S. A. Khan; D. K. Avasthi; J. C. Pivin; M. Kumar; J. Ghatak; P. V. Satyam
• Keywords: electron beam deposition; infrared spectra; 02 engineering and technology; visible spectra; evaporation; 81.15.Ef; 81.05.Dz; transmission electron microscopy; vacuum deposition; 68.55.Jk; 81.05.Dz, 81.15.Ef, 68.55.Ac, 68.55.Jk, 78.66.Hf, 73.61.Ga; transparency; wide band gap semiconductors; electrical conductivity; Fourier transform spectra; II-VI semiconductors; ultraviolet spectra; [PHYS.COND.CM-MS] Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Materials Science [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]; X-ray diffraction; semiconductor growth; energy gap; 78.66.Hf; [PHYS.COND.CM-MS]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Materials Science [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]; electron diffraction; annealing; photoluminescence; 73.61.Ga; semiconductor thin films; Raman spectra; 0210 nano-technology; 68.55.Ac; zinc compounds; electrical resistivity

Highly transparent, conducting, highly oriented, and almost single phase ZnO films have been deposited by simple e-beam evaporation method, and the deposition parameters were optimized. The films were prepared by (a) evaporation of ZnO at different substrate temperatures and (b) evaporation of ZnO at room temperature and subsequent annealing of the films in oxygen ambient at different temperatures. The characterizations of the film were performed by optical absorption spectroscopy (UV-visible), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, resistivity measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence, and x-ray diffraction measurement. Absorption spectra revealed that the films were highly transparent and the band gap of the pre- and postannealed films was in good agreement with the reported values. The band gap of the films increases on increasing the substrate temperature as well as annealing temperature, whereas the resistivity of the film decreases with substrate temperature and increases with annealing temperature. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of ZnO films confirms the presence of Zn–O bonding. X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, and TEM images with high resolution and Raman spectra of the films showed the formation of crystalline ZnO having wurtzite structure.