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Effect of Cu2+ doping on the structural, optical, and vapor-sensing properties of ZnO thin films prepared by SILAR method

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Abstract

The Cu-doped ZnO thin films were fabricated on glass slides by a two-step SILAR coating method. The diffraction data revealed that the prepared ZnO:Cu films were in the phase of Wurtzite geometry, and the grain size decreases from 37 to 26 nm. The morphological studies revealed uniform distribution of nanograins as well as a nanoflower structure. The doping samples exhibited an increase in transmittance and an increase in the bandgap. A room temperature ammonia vapor-sensing performance of Cu-doped ZnO films is also studied, and sensitivity for sensing ammonia vapor is increased with doping concentration. The sensitivity was remarkably enhanced to 12,300% and it has a relatively fast response/recovery time of 37/8 s for 100 ppm NH3 for the 5 wt% of ZnO:Cu film. Its high sensitivity and fast response make the ZnO:Cu film a good contender for high-quality gas sensor devices.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through research groups program under Grant Number R.G.P.2/84/41.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PG and Research Department of Physics, Sethupathy Govt. Arts College, Ramanathapuram, India

    K. Radhi Devi

  2. Department of Physics, Thanthai Hans Roever College, Perambalur, India

    G. Selvan

  3. Department of Physics, Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Dundigal, Hyderabad, 500043, India

    K. Hari Prasad

  4. PG and Research Department of Physics, Alagappa Govt. Arts College, Karaikudi, 630003, India

    M. Karunakaran & K. Kasirajan

  5. Advanced Functional Materials & Optoelectronics Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia

    V. Ganesh & S. AlFaify

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  1. K. Radhi Devi
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Devi, K.R., Selvan, G., Hari Prasad, K. et al. Effect of Cu2+ doping on the structural, optical, and vapor-sensing properties of ZnO thin films prepared by SILAR method. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 16548–16560 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-04210-z

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