Influence of annealing temperature on the structural, topographical and optical properties of sol gel derived ZnO thin films

TL;DR

This study examines how annealing temperature affects the structural, surface, and optical characteristics of sol gel derived ZnO thin films, revealing improvements in crystallinity and surface roughness but reduced transmittance at higher temperatures.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how annealing temperature influences the properties of sol gel ZnO thin films, guiding optimal processing conditions.

Findings

Crystallinity and grain size increase with annealing temperature.

Surface roughness is enhanced by heat treatment.

Maximum optical transmittance is nearly 90%, decreasing with higher annealing temperatures.

Abstract

This investigation deals with the effect of annealing temperature on the structural, topographical and optical properties of Zinc Oxide thin films prepared by sol gel method. The structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction and the recorded patterns indicated that all the films had a preferred orientation along (002) plane and the crystallinity along with the grain size were augmented with annealing temperature. The topographical modification of the films due to heat treatment was probed by atomic force microscopy which revealed that annealing roughened the surface of the film. The optical properties were examined by a UV visible spectrophotometer which exhibited that maximum transmittance reached nearly 90% and it diminished with increasing annealing temperature.