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Study of the Photoconductivity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized by a Sol–Gel Method

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Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by use of a sol–gel method at different temperatures, and characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. XRD analysis showed crystallite size was of the order of few tens of nanometers and the NPs had a wurtzite structure. SEM micrographs showed the NPs were pseudo-spherical in shape. UV–visible absorption study revealed a blue shift of the absorption edge compared with that of bulk ZnO. With increasing temperature of synthesis, the absorption edge was red-shifted. The photoconductivity, in air, of all the samples was studied. Variation of the dark current with applied voltage was linear for NPs synthesized at low temperatures and became super-linear for NPs synthesized at high temperatures. The dark current decreased with increasing temperature of synthesis. Photosensitivity was maximum for NPs synthesized at 600°C. Anomalous behavior, a decrease in photocurrent even during steady illumination, was observed for all the samples.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to SAIF, Chandigarh, for providing XRD and SEM facilities.

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  1. Department of Electronics and Communication, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, 211002, India

    Nitin Pandey & Rajneesh Kumar Srivastava

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  1. Nitin Pandey
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Pandey, N., Srivastava, R.K. Study of the Photoconductivity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized by a Sol–Gel Method. J. Electron. Mater. 44, 56–61 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3498-2

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