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Role of oxygen concentrations on structural and optical properties of RF magnetron sputtered ZnO thin films

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Abstract

We report an investigation on the effect of oxygen flow rate on the structural and optical properties of zinc oxide thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. The structural measurements were carried using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The role of oxygen partial pressure on the crystallinity, the surface morphology and vibrational modes has been established. The optical properties of the films were investigated using FR-Basic-VIS/NIR fitted with FR-Monitor software for film thickness, refractive index and color determination. The film thickness is observed to increase when oxygen is introduced at 4 sccm but eventual decrease with increase in the flow rate an indication of initial increase in rate of deposition followed by reduction. Elaborate explanations of these trends are provided.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the University of the Witwatersrand, Material Physics Research Institute, School of Physics; the XRD and MMU facilities at Wits, National Research Foundation (NRF) Grant Number (85675) and Material Energy Research Group (MERG) for funding. Special thanks to Erasmus+ office for support to carry out optical measurements at the University of West Attica, Egaleo, Greece and to GCRF-START: Synchrotron Techniques for African Research and Technology for postdoctoral funding (F.O.).

Funding

Funding was provided by UKRI (Grant No. ST/R002754/1), National Research Foundation (Grant No. 85675) and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (2016–2018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials for Energy Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    Francis Otieno, Rudolph M. Erasmus, David G. Billing, Alexander Quandt & Daniel Wamwangi

  2. Material Physics Research Institute, School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    Francis Otieno, Rudolph M. Erasmus, Alexander Quandt & Daniel Wamwangi

  3. School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    Mildred Airo & David G. Billing

  4. University of West Attica, Perou Ralli & Thevon 250, Egaleo, Greece

    Theodore Ganetsos

  5. Historical Museum of Physics and Study and Research Centre “Enrico Fermi”, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Francis Otieno, Alexander Quandt & Daniel Wamwangi

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  1. Francis Otieno
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Correspondence to Daniel Wamwangi.

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Otieno, F., Airo, M., Ganetsos, T. et al. Role of oxygen concentrations on structural and optical properties of RF magnetron sputtered ZnO thin films. Opt Quant Electron 51, 359 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-019-2076-5

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