Fabrication and Characterization of ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Thermal Oxidation of Vacuum Deposited Zn

Abstract

Thin films of ZnO with homogeneous surface morphology have been successfully grown by thermal oxidation of pre-deposited metallic Zn thin films on p-type Si (100) substrate by vacuum evaporation deposition technique. The article reports the results of our experimental investigations regarding some structural, electrical and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by this method at different oxidation temperatures. The composition and surface morphology of the films grown at different temperatures were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The electrical characteristics of the films grown at different oxidation temperatures were compared and contrasted on the basis of the results of four-probe measurements. The optical characteristics of the films were explored by Photoluminescence (PL) studies. Finally, the electrical transport properties of the Pd/ZnO Schottky contact were studied by using microprobe arrangement. The value of ideality factor, saturation current, average barrier height and turn-on voltage were extracted for Pd/ZnO Schottky contact.