Preparation of ZnO:CeO{sub 2-x} thin films by AP-MOCVD: Structural and optical properties

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2010.07.037· OSTI ID:21432486

Dominguez-Crespo, M A; Brachetti-Sibaja, S B ^[1]; Dorantes-Rosales, H; Hernandez-Perez, M A ^[2]; Lois-Correa, J A ^[1]

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1. Instituto Politecnico Nacional, CICATA-Altamira, Km 14.5, Carretera Tampico-Puerto Industrial Altamira, C.P. 89600, Altamira, Tamps (Mexico)
2. Departamento de Metalurgia, Escuela Superior de Ingenieria Quimica e Industrias Extractivas-IPN C.P. 07300, D. F. Mexico (Mexico)

The growth of columnar CeO{sub 2}, ZnO and ZnO:CeO{sub 2-x} films on quartz and AA6066 aluminum alloy substrates by economic atmospheric pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (AP-MOCVD) is reported. A novel and efficient combination of metal acetylacetonate precursors as well as mild operating conditions were used in the deposition process. The correlation among crystallinity, surface morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared films was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The synthesized films showed different crystallographic orientations depending on the ZnO and CeO{sub 2} lattice mismatch, cerium content and growth rate. The CeO{sub 2} films synthesized in this work showed plate-like compact structures as a result of the growth process typical of CVD. Both pure and ZnO:CeO{sub 2-x} films were obtained with a hexagonal structure and highly preferred orientation with the c-axis perpendicular to both substrates under the optimal deposition conditions. The microstructure was modified from dense, short round columns to round structures with cavities ('rose-flower-like' structures) and the typical ZnO morphology by controlling the cerium doping the film and substrate nature. High optical transmittance (>87%) was observed in the pure ZnO films. As for the ZnO:CeO{sub 2-x} films, the optical transmission was decreased and the UV absorption increased, which subsequently was affected by an increase in cerium content. This paper assesses the feasibility of using ZnO:CeO{sub 2-x} thin films as UV-absorbers in industrial applications. - Graphical abstract: TEM micrographs and their corresponding SAED pattern obtained for the as-deposited ZnO-CeO{sub 2-x} thin films for a Zn/Ce metallic ratio 16:9.

• OSTI ID: 21432486
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 183, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2010.07.037; PII: S0022-4596(10)00319-1; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
CERIUM
CERIUM OXIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
GRAIN ORIENTATION
HEXAGONAL LATTICES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
VISIBLE SPECTRA
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZINC OXIDES
ALLOYS
CERIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
FILMS
METALS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
ORIENTATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
RARE EARTHS
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
SURFACE COATING
ZINC COMPOUNDS