Synthesis and characterization of thermally oxidized ZnO films

Metallic zinc thin films were deposited onto glass substrates using vacuum thermal evaporation method. By thermal oxidation of as-deposited Zn films, in ambient conditions, at different temperatures (570, 670 and 770 K, respectively, for 1 h) zinc oxide thin films were obtained. The structural characteristics of the obtained films were investigated by X-ray diffraction technique and atomic force microscopy. Characteristic XRD patterns of oxidized films show small and narrow peaks superimposed on the large broad background of the amorphous component of the substrate. Optical transmittance spectra were recorded and it was observed that the transmittances of the studied films increased with increasing oxidation temperature. The values of the optical bandgap, E g, evaluated from Tauc plots, were found to be ranged between 3·22 and 3·27 eV. Electrical conductivity measurements were performed and it was observed that, after performing a heat treatment, the electrical conductivity of analysed samples decreased with one or two orders of magnitude. The gas sensitivity was investigated for some reducing gases such as acetone, methane and liquefied petroleum gas and it was observed that the films studied were selective to acetone.