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Structural, microstructural, and optical properties of Zn1−x Mg x O thin films grown onto glass substrate by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

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Abstract

Pure and doped Zn1−x Mg x O films were deposited onto glass substrate by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The variation of lattice constant and the blue shift of near-band-edge emission indicate that Zn2+ ions are successfully substituted by Mg2+ ions within ZnO lattice. At higher Mg content (x ≥ 0.21), a drastic change appears in the morphology, as a result of structural changes from wurtzite (ZnO) structure into a mixture of wurtzite and cubic (MgO) phases. FTIR study indicated the existence of distinct characteristic absorption peaks at ~442 cm−1 for Zn–O stretching mode that shifted toward the red region with the increase in Mg content. In addition to the host phonons of ZnO, one additional band was observed around 523 cm−1, presumably attributed to the Mg-related vibrational mode. The optical constants and thickness of thin films have been determined using experimental transmittance data. The luminescence intensity at 2.63 eV of Zn0.85Mg0.15O thin films was found to be approximately 13 times higher than that of pure ZnO film measured under the same excitation conditions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Project Research (PNR) and LASPI2A Laboratory of Khenchela University (Algeria) for their financial support of this research project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire des Structures, Propriétés et Interactions Inter Atomiques (LASPI2A), Khenchela University, Khenchela, Algeria

    K. Hoggas & A. Djelloul

  2. Laboratoire Bourguignon des Matériaux et Procédés, CER Arts et Métiers ParisTech of Cluny, 71250, Cluny, France

    Corinne Nouveau

  3. Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, PO Box 32038, Zallaq, Kingdom of Bahrain

    M. Bououdina

Authors
  1. K. Hoggas
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  2. Corinne Nouveau
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  3. A. Djelloul
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  4. M. Bououdina
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Correspondence to M. Bououdina.

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Hoggas, K., Nouveau, C., Djelloul, A. et al. Structural, microstructural, and optical properties of Zn1−x Mg x O thin films grown onto glass substrate by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. Appl. Phys. A 120, 745–755 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9252-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-015-9252-7

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