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Dependence of Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Grown by Sol–Gel Spin-Coating Technique on Solution Molarity

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Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by using sol–gel spin coating technique. Zinc acetate dihydrate and 2-methoxyethanol were used as precursor with different molar concentrations, 0.2 M, 0.3 M and 0.6 M. The effect of precursor concentration on the structural and optical properties, transmission (T), reflection (R), optical bandgap (Eg), Urbach energy (EU), refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), single-oscillator energy (E0), dispersion energy (Ed), moments M−1 and M−3, dielectric constant (ε) and optical conductivity (σ), of the ZnO thin films was studied and investigated. Although, the transmittance, slightly, decreased and the reflectance increased, as the molar concentration increased, the measurements showed that all samples have high transparency and low reflectivity in the visible range which make them suitable for solar cells applications. It is also found that, as the molarity increased, the ZnO thin films exhibited lower Eg and EU and higher Ed, M−1 and M−3.

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Acknowledgements

Slimane Chala would like to thank the Laboratory of Metallic and Semiconducting Materials (LMSM), University of Biskra, and the Algerian General Directorate of Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT) for their scientific and academic support.

Funding

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, M’Hamed Bougara University, 35000, Boumerdes, Algeria

    Slimane Chala

  2. Laboratory of Metallic and Semiconducting Materials, Mohamed Khider University, 07000, Biskra, Algeria

    Slimane Chala, Mourad Elbar, Taki Eddine Taouririt, Mohamed Labed, Rami Boumaraf, Abdel Fodhil Bouhdjar & Nouredine Sengouga

  3. Laboratory of Physics of Thin Films and Applications, Mohamed Khider University, 07000, Biskra, Algeria

    Madani Bdirina & Saâd Rahmane

  4. Physics Department, Constantine 1 University, 25017, Constantine, Algeria

    Yassine Naoui

  5. Physics Department, Ziane Achour University, 17000, Djelfa, Algeria

    Yazid Benbouzid

  6. Graduate School of Food Sciences and Food Industries, 16200, Algiers, Algeria

    Mohamed Labed

  7. Physics Department, Firat University, 23169, Elazig, Turkey

    Fahrettin Yakuphanoğlu

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  1. Slimane Chala
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Chala, S., Bdirina, M., Elbar, M. et al. Dependence of Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Grown by Sol–Gel Spin-Coating Technique on Solution Molarity. Trans. Electr. Electron. Mater. 23, 544–551 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42341-022-00386-9

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