Structural and Electrical Characterization of Pure and Al-Doped ZnO Nanorods

Panžić, Ivana; Capan, Ivana; Brodar, Tomislav; Bafti, Arijeta; Mandić, Vilko (2021) Structural and Electrical Characterization of Pure and Al-Doped ZnO Nanorods. Materials, 14 (23). ISSN 1996-1944

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Official URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/23/7454

Abstract

Pure and Al-doped (3 at.%) ZnO nanorods were prepared by two-step synthesis. In the first step, ZnO thin films were deposited on silicon wafers by spin coating ; then, ZnO nanorods (NR) and Al- doped ZnO NR were grown using a chemical bath method. The structural properties of zincite nanorods were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and corroborated well with the morphologic properties obtained by field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG SEM) with energy- dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Morphology results revealed a minute change in the nanorod geometry upon doping, which was also visible by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). KPFM also showed preliminary electrical properties. Detailed electrical characterization of pure and Al-doped ZnO NR was conducted by temperature-dependent current–voltage (I–V) measurements on Au/(Al)ZnO NR/n-Si junctions. It was shown that Al doping increases the conductivity of ZnO NR by an order of magnitude. The I–V characteristics of pure and Al-doped ZnO NR followed the ohmic regime for lower voltages, whereas, for the higher voltages, significant changes in electric conduction mechanisms were detected and ascribed to Al- doping. In conclusion, for future applications, one should consider the possible influence of the geometry change of (Al)ZnO NRs on their overall electric transport properties.

Item Type:

Article

Uncontrolled Keywords:

ZnO nanorods ; n-type doping ; chemical bath synthesis ; electrical transport mechanism ; KPFM

Subjects:

NATURAL SCIENCES > Physics
TECHNICAL SCIENCES > Chemical Engineering
TECHNICAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Technical Sciences

Divisions:

Division of Materials Physics

Projects:

Project title	Project leader	Project code	Project type
Razvoj tehničkog rješenja za uštedu energije upotrebom VIS propusnih ili polupropusnih i IC-reflektivnih tankih slojeva	Mandić, Vilko	KK.01.2.1.02.0316	EK
Fotonaponska-geopolimerna fasada: uloga vode-kisika u naprednom sklapanju filmova kompozitnih materijala	Mandić, Vilko	PZS-2019-02-1555	HRZZ
Fenomeni na površini tijekom priprave naprednih nanokompozita infiltracijom i funkcionalizacijom poroznih materijala	Mandić, Vilko	UIP-2019-04-2367	HRZZ