IMPACT OF N DOPING ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ZnO THIN FILMS

Abstract

Structural, optical and electrical properties of bare and N monodoped ZnO thin films were investigated. The samples were prepared on glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique. N doping resulted in p type electrical conductivity as evident from the Hall measurement results. XRD analysis confirmed the structural purity of all the films and compositional analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy verified the inclusion of N in doped films in addition to Zn and O. Doping resulted in deterioration in crystallinity. Optical transmittance got diminished with doping due to the degradation in crystallinity as well as due to the presence of deep N related defects as evident from the photoluminescence spectra. Optical energy gap red-shifted with doping percentage due to the introduction of impurity levels near the valence band edge within the forbidden gap with acceptor doping.