Preparation and effect of additives n-ZnO doped p-NiO Screen printed thick films on Structural and Electrical Properties

Abstract

Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) doped Nickel oxide (NiO) thick films prepared using glass substrate by screen printing technique successfully. Synthesis of nanoparticles was confirmed using characterisation techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and static gas sensing system. The structural properties of the prepared thick films were studied by XRD analysis. The observed prepared thick film shows polycrystalline nature of the films with a cubic structure and crystallite size found to be in the range of 18.21 to 35.44 nm. SEM analysis of prepared films enabled the conclusion that the prepared films are uniform, large crystals and heavily agglomerated particles were observed spherical in shape. Also, with increase in concentration specific surface area increases. The quantitative chemical compositions were analysed by SEM-EDS and it shows nonstoichiometric in nature. The correlation between structural and morphological properties are reported. The prepared thick films of ZnO doped NiO nanoparticles were analysed for electrical parameters namely TCR, activation energy and sheet resistivity, specific surface area were evaluated at different concentration of zinc oxide that assured the prepared material has a semiconducting nature. Electrical characterization results resistivity decreases from 6283.377 to 1972.727 with increase in wt.% concentration of ZnO. Such a prepared film can be used in fabrication of optoelectronic devices.