Effect of the thickness on the photocatalytic and the photocurrent properties of ZnO films deposited by spray pyrolysis

Abstract

In this work, we have investigated the structure, morphology, photoluminescence, photocatalytic and photocurrent properties of ZnO thin films as a function of their film thickness (tZnO) fabricated via ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The X-Ray diffraction patterns exhibited the formation of polycrystalline wurtzite phase of ZnO. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the uniform morphology with nanorod structure. The photosensitivity and photocatalytic efficiency are found to be optimum at tZnO = 1200 nm and are attributed to the improved photogeneration of charge carriers and higher concentration of oxygen vacancies. A direct correlation is established between the photosensitivity and photodegradation process. The incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) and photocatalytic efficiency for the ZnO film at tZnO = 1200 nm are estimated to be 31.5% and 100% respectively. The obtained result suggests that ZnO thin films are potential candidates for applications in various optoelectronic devices.

Characterization and Growth of TiO2/ZnO on PTFE Substrates at Different Volumetric Ratios Using Chemical Bath Deposition

“…Coatings 2023, 13, 379 14 of 21 main electrical specifications of the photodetector devices fabricated using samples S1, S2, S3, and S4. The increase in the electrical properties could be attributed to the photocatalytic synthesis ratios [38] and the thickness of the precipitate, which affects the boost release of the photoelectrons [78]. It should be noted that frequently exposing the devices to light had no impact on the performance of the photodetectors, indicating excellent repeatability.…”