The effect of ZnO buffer layer on structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods

Abstract

A low-temperature synthetic route was used to prepare oriented arrays of ZnO nanorods on ITO conducting glass substrate coated with buffer layer of ZnO seeds in an aqueous solution. The corresponding growth behavior and optical properties of ZnO nanorod arrays were studied. It was found that the nature of the buffer layer had effect on the microstructures and optical properties of the resultant ZnO nanorod arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed the nanorods were preferentially grown along (002) direction, but the diameter of the nanorods prepared with the buffer layer was much smaller than the without one, which can be clearly seen from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. And it also found that the buffer layer was not only enhanced the density of overall coverage but also beneficial to grown the oriented arrays. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) results indicated that the all the samples had the better optical behaviors. By computation, the relative PL intensity ratio of ultraviolet emission (I UV ) to deep level emission (I DLE ) of ZnO nanorods grown with the pure substrate was much higher than that of the sample with the buffer layer. The defects on the surface increased with the size reduction of nanorods caused by the buffer layer may be the main reason for it. And the small shift in the UV emission was caused by the rapid reduction in crystal size and compressive stress from Raman spectra results.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of Zn0.98Cu0.02O thin film grown on ZnO seed layer by RF sputtering

“…This may be taken care of to an extent by using a buffer/seed layer. There are reports of growing ZnO thin films or nanorods on ZnO seed layers [9][10][11]. Since nominal doping of Cu in ZnO does not alter the crystal structure of ZnO, we decided to synthesize and investigate the ZnCuO thin films on ZnO seed layer.…”