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Structure, optical and electronic properties of solid solution Zn(O,S) thin films and the effect of annealing

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Abstract

Structure, optical and electronic properties of solid solution thin films of Zn(O,S) developed by spray pyrolysis are investigated, and the effect of annealing is investigated for a possible improvement in its electrical properties. A variation in the initial sulphur (S) precursor concentration with fixed Zn-precursor concentration during the spray deposition produces a solid solution of ZnO and ZnS. Both the lower (<20%) and higher (>80%) concentrations of the S-precursor cause isovalent substitution in the system, retaining hexagonal ZnO and cubic ZnS structures, respectively, whereas other concentrations lead to the formation of films in a phase-separated solid solution of ZnO and ZnS. A strain-induced shift in optical band gap in the range of 3.3–3.6 eV is unique in the system with a strong bowing effect. A post-annealing at 370 °C in air is found to improve electron mobility in the film, whereas the annealing in argon ambient improves its electrical conductivity.

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Acknowledgements

Authors acknowledge Solar Research and Development Center (SRDC) of Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Project No. 2 for funding of the research. The authors are grateful to Prof. U.S. Joshi at Gujarat University for providing AFM facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Solar Research and Development Center and School of Solar Energy, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, 382007, India

    Margi Jani, Dhyey Raval, Ranjan Pati, Indrajit Mukhopadhyay & Abhijit Ray

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  1. Margi Jani
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  2. Dhyey Raval
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Correspondence to Abhijit Ray.

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Jani, M., Raval, D., Pati, R. et al. Structure, optical and electronic properties of solid solution Zn(O,S) thin films and the effect of annealing. Appl. Phys. A 123, 458 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1061-8

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