Nanocrystalline ZnO Film Grown on Porous SnO2/Si(111) Substrate

Porous tin oxide was prepared on silicon(111) substrate by the sol-gel route. Then, the samples were dried in air at 600 degrees C for 30 min in an electric furnace. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicated the high density of the pores. Circular microvoids formed by the rigid shaped microarray network of 200-300nm sizes are clearly seen in the plan view SEM image. The high homogeneity and uniformity of the porous region could also be visualized by this easy method. Nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have been deposited onto porous SnO2 substrates at high growth rates by radio frequency (RF) sputtering using a ZnO target. The surface morphology of the nanocrystalline ZnO films was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy is a powerful, contactless and excellent nondestructive optical tool to study the acceptor binding energy of ZnO nanostructures. The PL measurements were also operated at room temperature. The peak luminescence energy in nanocrystalline ZnO on porous SnO2 is blue-shifted with regard to that in bulk ZnO (381 nm). PL spectra peaks are distinctly apparent at 375 nm for ZnO film grown on porous SnO2/Si(111) substrates. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011