Effect of Postannealing Treatment on Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanorods Prepared Using Chemical Bath Deposition

ZnO nanorods have been synthesized on glass substrate by the chemical bath deposition technique. To investigate the effect of postannealing treatment on their crystalline and optical quality, the films were annealed at various temperatures of 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C in air ambient for 1 h. The morphological and chemical composition of the ZnO films were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The structural properties were characterized by employing x-ray diffraction analysis and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, the optical properties were investigated by photoluminescence measurements. FESEM images revealed high-quality ZnO nanorods grown on the substrate surface. EDS results demonstrated a slight reduction in the quantity of oxygen after annealing. XRD and Raman results showed noticeable improvement in the crystalline quality of the ZnO films after annealing. The crystallite size increased significantly after annealing, from 40.5 nm for the nonannealed film to a maximum for 46.2 nm for the annealed samples. The photoluminescence results exhibited an increment in the optical quality [ultraviolet (UV) versus visible emission] after postannealing treatment. The enhancement in the crystalline and optical quality of the annealed films compared with the nonannealed sample is due to recrystallization of ZnO particles into a ZnO wurtzite lattice structure as well as relaxation of oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of the ZnO nanorods. This enhancement is conducive to improved efficiency for potential applications of ZnO.