Title

Comparative study of hydrothermal treatment and thermal annealing effects on the properties of electrodeposited micro-columnar ZnO thin films

Authors

Authors

O. Lupan; T. Pauporte; I. M. Tiginyanu; V. V. Ursaki; V. Sontea; L. K. Ono; B. R. Cuenya;L. Chow

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Thin Solid Films

Keywords

Zinc oxide; Thin films; Electrodeposition; Thermal annealing; Hydrothermal treatment; Photoluminescence; X-ray photoelectron; spectroscopy; Raman spectroscopy; RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY; ZINC-OXIDE FILMS; PEROXIDE OXYGEN; PRECURSOR; RESONANT RAMAN-SCATTERING; HYDROGEN GAS NANOSENSOR; LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE; NANOWIRE ARRAYS; ROOM-TEMPERATURE; ETCHING; CHARACTERISTICS; NANOROD ARRAYS; Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Materials Science, Coatings &; Films; Physics, Applied; Physics, Condensed Matter

Abstract

We report a comparison of the role played by different sample treatments, namely, a low-temperature hydrothermal treatment by hot H2O vapor in an autoclave versus thermal annealing in air on the properties of ZnO films grown by electrochemical deposition (ECD). Scanning electron microscopy studies reveal a homogeneous micro-columnar morphology and changes in the film surface for the two different treatments. It is found that post-growth hydrothermal treatments of ECD ZnO films at 150 degrees C under an aqueous environment enhance their structural and optical properties (photoluminescence, transmission, Raman spectra, etc.) similar to thermal annealing in air at higher temperatures ( > 200 degrees C). The modifications of the structural and optical properties of ZnO samples after thermal annealing in air in the temperature range of 150-600 degrees C are discussed. The removal of chlorine from the films by the hydrothermal treatment was evidenced which could be the main reason for the improvement of the film quality. The observation of the enhanced photoluminescence peak at 380 nm demonstrates the superior properties of the hydrothermally treated ZnO films as compared to the films annealed in air ambient at the same or higher temperature. This post-growth hydrothermal treatment would be useful for the realization of high performance optoelectronic devices on flexible supports which might not withstand at high temperature annealing treatments. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

Thin Solid Films

Volume

519

Issue/Number

22

Publication Date

1-1-2011

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

7738

Last Page

7749

WOS Identifier

WOS:000295057000021

ISSN

0040-6090

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