The effect of perpendicular electric fields on the orientation of zinc oxide crystals during the oxidation of zinc thin films

Abstract

The effect of direct current (d.c.) electric fields on the crystal orientation of zinc oxide thin films was investigated. Evaporated zinc thin films were oxidized in air under the application of perpendicular electric fields (detached electrodes) at different temperatures. The application of positive fields at 550 °C improved thec-axis orientations up to 1000 V cm⁻¹. Further increase in field strength caused thec-axis orientations to decline to their original values (no applied field). The application of negative normal fields at 550 °C deteriorated thec-axis orientations up to 800 V cm⁻¹. Thec-axis orientations improved to their original values by increasing the field strength to greater than 800 V cm⁻¹. The crystal size remained unchanged, but the surface morphology was affected by the application of the electric fields at temperatures above the melting point of zinc. No significant change in optical properties was detected for samples that were subjected to electric fields. Whenever thec-axis orientation improved, crystals on the film surface became rounded and a more ordered microstructure was observed. On the other hand, the deterioration ofc-axis orientation was manifested by the increase in the number of whisker-shaped crystal needles on the surface of the ZnO thin films.