Sains Malaysiana 40(3)(2011): 245–250

 

ZnO:Sn Deposition by Sol-gel Method:Effect of Annealing on the Structural, Morphology and Optical Properties

(Pemendapan ZnO:Sn melalui Kaedah Sol-gel: Pengaruh Pertumbuhan Terhadap Struktur, Morfologi dan Sifat Optik)

 

H. Abdullah*,1, S. Selmani1, M.N. Norazia1, P.S. Menon2, S. Shaari1,2 & C.F. Dee2

 

1Department of Electric, Electronic & System, Faculty of Engineering

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

 

2Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN)

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

 

Received: 21 July 2010 / Accepted: 3 September 2010

 

ABSTRACT

 

Sn doped zinc oxide polycrystalline thin films were prepared by sol-gel process. The sol was prepared from zinc acetate dehydrate and tin chloride were used. 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine were used as the solvent and stabilizer, respectively. The quantity of tin in the sol was 0, 15 and 25 at.% Sn with annealing temperature 400, 500 and 600°C. Structural investigation including surface morphology and microstructure was carried out by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The films give a hexagonal wurtzite structure with diffraction peaks at (100), (002) and (101). Changes in particle size with an increase in annealing temperature were observed in the SEM micrograph. The optical properties were determined by photoluminescence (PL) and UV-Visible (UV-VIS-NIR) spectrometer. The band gaps increased (2.78 eV to 4.10 eV) as the concentration of Sn was increased and the increasing of annealing temperature. Annealing temperature plays a key role in the formation of defects which is strongly related to the nonradiative recombination centers. The increment of the band gap is acceptable as a requirement for good anti-reflecting coating element. Therefore, these films can be applied on silicon solar cells.

 

Keywords: Annealing temperature; anti-reflecting coating; sol-gel

 

ABSTRAK

 

Filem nipis zink oksida didop Sn telah disediakan melalui proses sol-gel. Sol telah dibuat daripada zink asetat nyahhidrat dan timah klorida. 2-methoxyethanol dan monoethanolamine masing-masing telah digunakan sebagai pelarut dan penstabil. Kuantiti timah dalam sol adalah 0,15 dan 25 at.% Sn dengan suhu penyepuhlindapan 400, 500 dan 600°C. Struktur termasuk morfologi permukaan dan mikrostruktur telah dikaji dengan pengukuran pembelauan sinar-X (XRD) dan mikroskop elektron imbasan (SEM). Filem menunjukkan struktur wurzit bersegi enam dengan puncak belauan pada kedudukan (10), (002) dan (101). SEM menunjukkan perubahan dalam saiz zarah dengan satu peningkatan dalam suhu penyepuhlindapan telah dicerap. Sifat optik telah ditentukan oleh fotoluminesens dan analisis spektrometer UV-Vis-NIR (UV-VIS). Nilai jurang jalur yang diperolehi bertambah (2.78 eV to 4.10 eV) bagi peningkatan Sn dan juga dengan penambahan suhu penyepuhlindapan. Dicadangkan suhu penyepuhlindapan memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukan kecacatan, yang berkait rapat untuk penggabungan semula pusat-pusat yang tiada radiasi. Penambahan peningkatan jurang jalur diterima sebagai lapisan anti pantulan yang baik. Oleh sebab itu, filem ini boleh diterapkan pada sel suria silikon.

 

Kata kunci: Lapisan anti-pantulan; sol-gel; suhu penyepuhlindapan

 

REFERENCES

 

Abdullah, H., Norazia, M.N., Shaari, S. & Amir Khadum, A. 2009. Effect of heat treatment on the structural, morphological and optical properties of Tin-Doped ZnO (x = 0.0 and x = 0.05). Thin films, Defect and Diffusion Forum 293: 53-61.

Kang, H.S., Kang, J.S., Pang, S.S., Shim, E.S., Yun, I. & Lee S.Y., 2003. Annealing effect on the structural and optical properties of ZnO thin film on In. Materials Science and Engineering B 102: 366-369.

Karamdel, J., Dee, C.F. & Majlis, B.H. 2010. Characterization and aging effect study of nitrogen-doped ZnO nanofilm, Applied Surface Science 256: 6164-6167.

Kashiwaba, Y., Katahira, F., Haga, K., Sekiguchi, T. & Watanabe. H., 2000. Hetero-epitaxial growth of ZnO thin films by atmospheric pressure CVD method. Journal of Crystal Growth 221: 431-434.

Kaushal, A., & Kaur, D. 2009. Effect of Mg content on structural, electrical and optical properties of Zn1−xMgxO nanocomposite thin films. Solar Energy Materials and Solar 93: 193–198.

Lee, J.H. & Park: B.O. 2003. Transparent conducting ZnO:Al, In and Sn thin films deposited by the sol–gel method. Thin Solid Films 426: 94-99.

Li, L., Fang, L., Chen, X.M., Liu, J., Yang, F.F., Li, Q.J., Liu, G.B. & Feng, S.J. 2008. Influence of oxygen argon ratio on the structural, electrical, optical and thermoelectrical properties of Al-doped ZnO thin films. Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures 41: 169-174.

Miao, W., Li, X., Zhang, Q., Huang, L., Zhang, Z., Zhang. Li. & Yan, X. 2006. Transparent conductive In2O3:Mo thin films prepared by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Thin Solid Films 500: 70-75.

Shinde, V.R., Gujar, T.P., Lokhande, C.D., Mane, R.S. & Han, S. 2006. Mn doped and undoped ZnO films: A comparative structural, optical and electrical properties study. Materials Chemistry and Physics 96: 326-330.

Tokumoto, M.S., Smith, A., Santill, C.V., Pulcinelli, S.H., Elkaim, E. & Briois, V. 2000. Effect of In concentration in the starting solution on the structural and electrical properties of ZnO films prepared by the pyrosol process at 450°C. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 273: 302-306.

Ursaki, V.V., Lupan, O.I, Chow, L., Tiginyanu, I.M. & Zalamai, V.V., 2007. Rapid thermal annealing induced change of the mechanism of multiphonon resonant Raman scattering from ZnO nanorods. Solid State Communications 143: 437-441.

Vinodkumar, R., Lethy, K.J., Beena, D., Satyanarayana, M., Jayasree, R.S., Ganesan, V., Nayar, V.U. & Mahadevan Pillai, V.P., 2009. Effect of thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of nanostructured zinc oxide thin films prepared by pulsed laser ablation. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 93: 74-78.

Wang, J., Chen, W. & Wang, M., 2008. Properties analysis of Mn-doped ZnO piezoelectric films. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 449: 44-47.

Yang, J., Gao, M., Zhang, Y., Yang, L., Lang, J, Liu, Y., Wang, D., Liu. H., Wang, Y. & Fan, H., 2008. Effects of annealing temperature on morphologies and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures. Superlattices and Microstructures 44: 137-142.

Zhang, Y.Z., Li, H., Pan, X.J., Wang, T. & Xie, E.Q. 2009. The effects of thermal annealing on properties of MgxZn1−xO films by sputtering. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 472: 208-210.

 

*Corresponding author; email: huda@vlsi.eng.ukm.my

 

 

previous