Hydrothermal Growth and Interface Correlation of Highly Aligned ZnO Nanorod Arrays on UV-Activated Sol–Gel Transparent Conducting Films

Abstract

In this study, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) transparent conducting films were deposited as seed layers by sol–gel method, followed by UV exposure and subsequent thermal curing at a low temperature of 300°C . Zinc oxide nanorod arrays were then hydrothermally grown on the seed layers at 70°C . By the activation of UV exposure, the 300°C cured AZO seed layers possessed an obvious crystallinity and a [002] texture. The well-aligned and vertical growth of high density zinc oxide nanorods with a [002] preferred orientation and strong photoluminescence was consequently accomplished on the UV-exposed seed layers. The zinc oxide nanorods were characterized as single crystals of typical wurtzite structure with a (002) lattice spacing of 0.26 nm. Highly [002] textured grains with small-angle misfits of lattice orientations in the UV-exposed seed layers dominated the aligned growth of the nanorod arrays.

Silver nanoparticle decorated ZnO nanorod arrays on AZO films for light absorption enhancement

“…Figure 3 shows the 2 θ scan XRD patterns of the Ag NP decorated ZnO NRAs/AZO/glass at 200–2000 s. For comparison, the XRD patterns of AZO/glass and ZnO NRAs on AZO/glass are also shown. The inset shows the cross‐sectional and top‐view SEM images of the Ag NP decorated ZnO NRAs at 2000 s. The XRD patterns showed the dominant (002) XRD peaks at 2 θ ∼ 34.5°, indicating that the ZnO nanorods were well synthesized with preferred c ‐axis direction in hexagonal wurtzite structure which is similar to the results observed for the ZnO NRAs grown on AZO seed layers 15, 31. For the evaporated Ag on ZnO NRAs, the XRD peaks were observed at 2 θ ∼ 38.2°.…”

Influencing FTO thin film growth with thin seeding layers: a route to microstructural modification

“…Thus, the seeding layer should nucleate growth, giving variant grain growth characteristics compared to conventional APCVD thin films due to a reduced film growth induction time, by providing a lower activation energy barrier to improved film formation, yielding denser, faster growing and more adhesive films. 20,[46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] The work presented in this paper explores FTO synthesis by the AA-AP CVD seed-overlay method. 45,46 Seeding strategies have been similarly used to good effect in the formation and control of microstructures in a variety of materials.…”

“…45,46 Seeding strategies have been similarly used to good effect in the formation and control of microstructures in a variety of materials. 20,[46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] The work presented in this paper explores FTO synthesis by the AA-AP CVD seed-overlay method. The data illustrates how increasingly controllable morphologies are possible solely through the use of a seed layer and will have important implications in future FTO synthesis and thin film morphology manipulation.…”

Effect of surface wettability controlled by ultraviolet-ozone treatment on spin-coated ZnO seed layer and ZnO nanowires grown by hydrothermal method

“…Furthermore, ultraviolet ozone (UVO) treatment has already verified itself as a well-established surface treatment method to change surface wettability in low cost approach besides cleaning the surface via vacuum cleaning process [21]. Previously, works like ECR plasma treatment effect on ZnO nucleation by atomic layer epitaxy method, effect of UVO treated seed layer on Zno nanowire growth, UVO and self-assembled monolayers for patterned growth of ZnO nanowires had been conducted, but no work had investigated surface wettability changing effect on Zno seed layer and nanowires growth using UVO treatment in hydrothennal method [22]- [24].…”