Formation of zinc oxide films using submicron zinc particle dispersions

Journal Article · Fri Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B--Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 30(4):Article No. 041805

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4731255· OSTI ID:1047389

Rajachidambaram, Meena Suhanya; Varga, Tamas; Kovarik, Libor; Sanghavi, Rahul P; Shutthanandan, V; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Han, Seungyeol; Chang, Chih-hung; Herman, Gregory S

The thermal oxidation of submicron metallic Zn particles was studied as a method to form nanostructured ZnO films. The particles used for this work were characterized by electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and thermal analysis to evaluate the Zn-ZnO core shell structure, surface morphology, and oxidation characteristics. Significant nanostructural changes were observed for films annealed to 400 °C or higher, where nanoflakes, nanoribbons, nanoneedles and nanorods were formed as a result of stress induced fractures arising in the ZnO outer shell due to differential thermal expansion between the metallic Zn core and the ZnO shell. Mass transport occurs through these defects due to the high vapor pressure for metallic Zn at temperatures above 230 °C, whereupon the Zn vapor rapidly oxidizes in air to form the ZnO nanostructures. The Zn particles were also incorporated into zinc indium oxide precursor solutions to form thin film transistor test structures to evaluate the potential of forming nanostructured field effect sensors using simple solution processing.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1047389
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-88467; 44091; KP1704020; TRN: US201216%%248
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B--Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 30(4):Article No. 041805, Vol. 30, Issue 4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
AIR
DEFECTS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
FRACTURES
INDIUM OXIDES
MASS
MORPHOLOGY
NANOSTRUCTURES
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
POTENTIALS
PRECURSOR
PROCESSING
SENSORS
SHELLS
SOLUTIONS
SURFACES
THERMAL ANALYSIS
THERMAL EXPANSION
THIN FILMS
TRANSISTORS
TRANSPORT
VAPOR PRESSURE
VAPORS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZINC
ZINC OXIDES
Formation
zinc
oxide
films
using
submicron
particle
dispersions
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory