Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties

In this paper, we address the synthesis of nano-coalesced microstructured zinc oxide thin films via a simple thermal evaporation process. The role of synthesis temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the prepared zinc oxide samples was deeply investigated. The obtaine...

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Main Authors: Karkeng Lim, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid, Roslinda Shamsudin, N.H. Al-Hardan, Ishak Mansor, Weesiong Chiu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2016-04-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/9/4/300
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spelling doaj-7f5ccc50259249799d9a0a516ab6e3c02020-11-24T21:03:59ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442016-04-019430010.3390/ma9040300ma9040300Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence PropertiesKarkeng Lim0Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid1Roslinda Shamsudin2N.H. Al-Hardan3Ishak Mansor4Weesiong Chiu5Materials Science Program, School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43600, MalaysiaMaterials Science Program, School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43600, MalaysiaMaterials Science Program, School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43600, MalaysiaMaterials Science Program, School of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor Darul Ehsan 43600, MalaysiaTechnical Support Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Kajang 43000, MalaysiaLow Dimensional Materials Research Centre, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaIn this paper, we address the synthesis of nano-coalesced microstructured zinc oxide thin films via a simple thermal evaporation process. The role of synthesis temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the prepared zinc oxide samples was deeply investigated. The obtained photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy outcomes will be used to discuss the surface structure defects of the prepared samples. The results indicated that the prepared samples are polycrystalline in nature, and the sample prepared at 700 °C revealed a tremendously c-axis oriented zinc oxide. The temperature-driven morphological evolution of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures was perceived, resulting in transformation of quasi-mountain chain-like to pyramidal textured zinc oxide with increasing the synthesis temperature. The results also impart that the sample prepared at 500 °C shows a higher percentage of the zinc interstitial and oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the intensity of the photoluminescence emission in the ultraviolet region was enhanced as the heating temperature increased from 500 °C to 700 °C. Lastly, the growth mechanism of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures is discussed according to the reaction conditions.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/9/4/300zinc oxidethin filmsvapor depositionphotoluminescence spectrofluorometerX-ray photoelectron spectroscopysurface structure defects
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Karkeng Lim
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid
Roslinda Shamsudin
N.H. Al-Hardan
Ishak Mansor
Weesiong Chiu
spellingShingle Karkeng Lim
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid
Roslinda Shamsudin
N.H. Al-Hardan
Ishak Mansor
Weesiong Chiu
Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
Materials
zinc oxide
thin films
vapor deposition
photoluminescence spectrofluorometer
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
surface structure defects
author_facet Karkeng Lim
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Hamid
Roslinda Shamsudin
N.H. Al-Hardan
Ishak Mansor
Weesiong Chiu
author_sort Karkeng Lim
title Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
title_short Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
title_full Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
title_fullStr Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
title_full_unstemmed Temperature-Driven Structural and Morphological Evolution of Zinc Oxide Nano-Coalesced Microstructures and Its Defect-Related Photoluminescence Properties
title_sort temperature-driven structural and morphological evolution of zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures and its defect-related photoluminescence properties
publisher MDPI AG
series Materials
issn 1996-1944
publishDate 2016-04-01
description In this paper, we address the synthesis of nano-coalesced microstructured zinc oxide thin films via a simple thermal evaporation process. The role of synthesis temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the prepared zinc oxide samples was deeply investigated. The obtained photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy outcomes will be used to discuss the surface structure defects of the prepared samples. The results indicated that the prepared samples are polycrystalline in nature, and the sample prepared at 700 °C revealed a tremendously c-axis oriented zinc oxide. The temperature-driven morphological evolution of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures was perceived, resulting in transformation of quasi-mountain chain-like to pyramidal textured zinc oxide with increasing the synthesis temperature. The results also impart that the sample prepared at 500 °C shows a higher percentage of the zinc interstitial and oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the intensity of the photoluminescence emission in the ultraviolet region was enhanced as the heating temperature increased from 500 °C to 700 °C. Lastly, the growth mechanism of the zinc oxide nano-coalesced microstructures is discussed according to the reaction conditions.
topic zinc oxide
thin films
vapor deposition
photoluminescence spectrofluorometer
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
surface structure defects
url http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/9/4/300
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