Electrical and magnetic properties of ZnNiO thin films deposited by pulse laser deposition

ZnNiO thin films with different contents of Ni(0-10 at.%) were fabricated on quartz and Si(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition(PLD).We measured the samples by X-ray diffraction(XRD),field-emission scanning electron microscope(FE-SEM),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),ultraviolet-visible spectrometer(UV-VIS),and Hall testing.When the Ni contents were below 3 at.%,partial Zn2+ ions were replaced by the Ni2+ ions without forming any other phases,which enhanced the conductivity of the film.When the Ni contents were above 3 at.%,Ni ions were at the interstitial sites,and Ni-related clusters and defects were able to emerge in the films,resulting in a worsening of electrical and optical properties.A ferromagnetic hysteresis with a coercive force of approximately 30 Oe was observed in the ZnNiO film with a Ni content of 3 at.% at room temperature.