Electrodeposition of ZnO thin films on n-Si(100)

In this study, ZnO thin films have been deposited onto monocrystalline n-ty pe Si(1 0 0) by electrodeposition at different applied potentials. XRD show s a preferential orientation (0 0 0 2) that increases when the applied cath odic potential increases. The XPS analysis presents a Zn/O composition clos e to stoichiometric. SEM micrographs show a compact structure with localize d platelets with a grain size of about 10 mum. However, crystallite size de termined by the Scherrer method shows a size close to 2.50 x 10(-2) mum, th en the grains can be considered as clusters of crystallites. Optical measur ements were made on samples deposited on ITO/glass through the same procedu res giving a band gap of 3.3 eV in agreement with the reported values for Z nO at room temperature. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.