Synthesis and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by SILAR method with ethylene glycol

An ultrasonic-mediated assisted stepwise method has been developed for depositing transparent ZnO films from aqueous solution. Rinsing in low ethylene glycol temperature was easy to produce intermediate phase of Zn(OH)(2), rinsing in 120 C ethylene glycol was observed the diffraction peak of intermediate Zn(OH)(2) in early report, the rinsing temperature plays an important role in the process of Zn(OH)(2) phase transformed to ZnO, high rinsing temperature actually improved the intermediate phase. However, the effect of rinsing on the intermediate phase is yet to be understood clearly. The effect of different rinsing procedures, involving either of or a combination of successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and ultrasonic-assisted rinsing, prior to hydrolysis in ethylene glycol was investigated to deposit ZnO thin films. Ultrasonic-assisted rinsing process before hydrolysis in ethylene glycol was found to improve the occurrence Zn(OH)(2) in ZnO thin films In the zinc complex ([Zn(NH3)(4)](2+))solution, excess ([ Zn(NH3)(4)](2+)) absorbed in glass substrate transformed incompletely to ZnO and exist as Zn(OH)(2) phase in thin films. In films deposited at low temperature, rinsing procedure is applied to improve excess Zn(OH)(2) and obtain smoother transparent thin films.