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Effect of Er doping on microstructure and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol–gel method

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Abstract

Er doped ZnO (EZO) thin films were successfully prepared by sol–gel spin coating method on quartz glass substrates. The effect of Er doping content on the microstructure and optical properties of EZO thin films were investigated. The X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that Er was successfully incorporated into the EZO thin films and substituted the Zn sites. The incorporation of Er could affect the band gap (E g ) and optical constants of ZnO thin films. The photoluminescence spectra show that the 1.54 μm emission, which originates from the transition of Er3+: 4I13/2 → 4I15/2, was observed in EZO thin films. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the formation of singly ionized oxygen vacancies (V O·) could be inhibited by the incorporation of Er dopant, which is supported by further defect formation energies calculations.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11304405, 11074314 and 51472038) and the Nature Science Foundation of Chongqing (Grant Nos. CSTC2013jjB0023, cstc2012gg-gjhz50001 and cstc2013jcyjA50031), D&R Projects of Chongqing Education Commission under Grant No. KJ132209, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (CDJZR12138801, CDJZR14135502, CQDXWL2012017 and 106112015CDJXY300002), and the Sharing Fund of Large-scale Equipment of Chongqing University (Grant Nos. 201412150103, 201412150104 and 201412150105).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, People’s Republic of China

    Caiying Mao, Wanjun Li, Fang Wu, Yuanyao Dou & Liang Fang

  2. Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Functional Materials of Chongqing, College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People’s Republic of China

    Wanjun Li & Chunyang Kong

  3. Research Center for Materials Interdisciplinary Sciences, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402160, People’s Republic of China

    Haibo Ruan

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  1. Caiying Mao
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Correspondence to Fang Wu, Liang Fang or Chunyang Kong.

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Mao, C., Li, W., Wu, F. et al. Effect of Er doping on microstructure and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by sol–gel method. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 26, 8732–8739 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-3550-x

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