SOL-GEL PREPARATION OF ZNO FILMS WITH EXTREMELY PREFERRED ORIENTATIONALONG (002) PLANE FROM ZINC ACETATE SOLUTION

ZnO films with preferred orientation along the (002) plane were fabric ated by the sol-gel method using Zn(CH3COO)(2) . 2H(2)O as starting ma terial. A homogeneous and stable solution was prepared by dissolving t he zinc acetate in a solution of 2-methoxyethanol and monoethanolamine . ZnO films highly oriented along the (002) plane were obtained by pre heating the dip-coating films at temperatures from 200 degrees-500 deg rees C for 10 min after each coating and postheating at temperatures f rom 500 degrees-800 degrees C for 1 h. The heat-treatment conditions, the withdrawal speed of the substrate, and the film thickness were fou nd to strongly affect the crystallographic orientation, relative densi ty and morphology of the resultant ZnO films. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e S.A.