Influence Of Zn Concentration On The Size And Optical Properties Of ZnO nanocrystals In Silica Matrix Grown By RF Co-sputter Deposition

Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi. India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2013, Current Issue, 4 (5), pp 343-346

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2012.10437

Publication Date (Web): Feb 23, 2013

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: vvsk@iuac.res.in

Abstract

In the present study we report the influence of variation in amount of Zn on growth and optical properties of thin films of ZnO nanocrystals in silica matrix deposited by rf magnetron co-sputtering with substrate heating at 200^o C. RBS studies indicate change in the concentration of Zn in the films while Raman spectroscopy measurements indicate presence of excess zinc with different concentration. The XRD spectra of the thin films shows the formation of strong ZnO phase nanocrystals with different sizes in different films while the UV-VIS spectra shows variation in the band edge energy of the ZnO nanocrystals for these films. FT-IR spectra of the films show the Zn-O, Zn-O-Si and Si-O-Si vibrational features related to ZnO, Zn₂SiO₄ and SiOx phases in the films. The results suggest growth of stable ZnO nanocrystals in silica matrix having better phase and optical quality with increase in the Zn concentration in the thin films, which may be useful in optical applications of ZnO.

Keywords

RF sputtering, ZnO, nanocrystals, phase improvement.