Tailoring Energy Bandgap of Al Doped ZnO Thin Films Grown by Vacuum Thermal Evaporation Method

Progress in the Synthesis and Application of Transparent Conducting Film of AZO (ZnO:Al)

Due to the excellent performance and low cost of the new aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) film, it is expected to replace the mature indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) film. The research status and progress of AZO transparent conductive films are summarized in this review. Moreover, the structure, optoelectronic properties, and conductive mechanism of AZO thin films are also detailed. The thin films' main preparation processes and the advantages and disadvantages of each process method are mainly discussed, and their application fields are expounded. AZO thin films with multicomponent composite structures are one of the promising development directions in transparent conductive oxide (TCO) thin films. The development of various preparation processes has promoted the production and application of thin films on a broad scale. Finally, some improvement schemes have been proposed to improve the comprehensive performance of the film. The industrialization prospects of the AZO film, as well as its great development potential in the digital world, are discussed.

Luminescence Properties of Nano Zinc Oxide Doped with Al(III) Ions Obtained in Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis

The hydrothermal method of obtaining nano zinc oxide doped with different contents of aluminum ions (III) was presented and discussed in this paper. Aqueous solution of Zn(NO₃)₂*6H₂O and Al(NO₃)₃*9H₂O salts mixture were used as the synthesis precursor. In order to reduce the process time all reactions were performed in a microwave reactor. The influence of process parameters and the content of impurity ions on the properties of synthesized nano zinc oxide were analyzed. In addition to zinc oxide doped with Al(III) ions, an additional spinel phase (ZnAl₂O₄) was obtained. The luminescent properties of nano zinc oxide as a function of the dopant ions were also discussed. Based on the luminescence measurements results, it was found that the luminescence intensity decreases with the increasing dopant content. The obtained materials are aimed to be implemented as luminescent materials in optoelectronic and sensors.