Effect of Ni Doping on the Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Spin Coating and Investigation of ZnO Powder Nanostructures

Abstract

Thin films of Nickel-doped ZnO have been prepared by sol-gel spin coating process. The doping concentration of Ni by weight has been adjusted as 0%, 2% and 5% .In order to examine the effect of doping on the optical properties , ZnO thin films has been characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, this shows Nickel doping affects the transmission in regards to the thin films and the band gap. The observed value of gap energy for 2% of Ni by weight is 3.25eV; also, the urbach energy value of “EU” is contrast with the values of energy gap.For ZnO powder nanostructures, we studied the microstructural and morphological properties, it have been characterized by optical microscope and first-principals computing. The ZnO replicas were clearly observed, the band structure and density of states of phase of crystal ZnO computed using Ab Initio methods, confirmed that pure ZnO is a direct band gap semiconductor for B3 phase, whose phase B3 is of ZnS type Blende.