Study the optical parameters of aluminum doped ZnS films deposited on soda-lime glass substrate

Abstract

Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) thin films have gained popularity due to their potential field applications. ZnS doped with various elements is redefining academic and industrial research. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was applied in the deposition process of undoped ZnS and aluminum (Al) doped zinc sulfide (AZS) on cleaned soda lime glass substrates. The doping effects of aluminum concentration (0, 2, 4, and 6%) on the characteristics of ZnS films were investigated. The ZnS and AZS thin films exhibited a direct allowed bandgap in the range of 3.40 to 3.56 eV, The band gap has been observed to be higher (3.56 eV) indicating blue shift. The linear optical parameters such as oscillator energy (E0), dispersion energy (Ed), and static refractive index (n0) were calculated using Wemple and DiDominco's model to find the nonlinear optical susceptibility χ 3 and nonlinear refractive index n2. The increasing nonlinear parameters χ 3 and n2 suggest nonlinear optical applications for AZS. The experimental methods and results are described, and the results are compared to published data.