Effect of Concentration of Precursor on Intrinsic ZnO Thin Films by Spray Pyrolysis

In this work, we have prepared chemically sprayed zinc oxide thin films (ZnO) on microscopic glass substrates. The films were deposited from a starting solution containing zinc acetate dehydrate. The influence of concentration of starting solution on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the ZnO thin films was studied. The structure of all the ZnO thin films was polycrystalline, and a variation in the intensity of preferential growth with the concentration of the solution was observed. The crystallite size was found to increase with precursor concentration and ranges from 56 to 95nm. The optimal deposition conditions leading to conductive and transparent ZnO thin films were also found. In this way a resistivity of 1.88 x 10 -2 Ω-cm with a (0 02) preferential growth, were obtained in optimized ZnO thin films.  Due to their excellent optical and electrical properties, ZnO films are promising contender for their potential use as transparent window layer and electrodes in solar cells