The Influence of Nitrogen Doping Concentration on the Strain and Band Gap Energy of N-Doped Zinc Oxide Prepared Using Spray Coating Technique

Abstract

N-ZnO thin layer is widely used in application of wastewater photo catalyst. N-ZnO thin films have been successfully deposited on glass substrate using spray coating technique at 450 °C with varying concentrations of N from Urea source. XRD test results showed that the N-ZnO has a polycrystalline structure with diffraction field (100), (002), (101) and (110). The presence of nitrogen atoms in the lattice of ZnO causes a shift in diffraction angle between 0.08o - 0.18o. N-ZnO thin layer showed the occurrence of tensile strain. Surface morphology of N-ZnO is shaped like mine (like root). All samples have band gap energies lower than that of ZnO and the smallest is sample N6 with Eg = 3.249 eV. The presence of nitrogen atom increases surface roughness and decreases band gap energy.