Impact of operating pressure and oxygen gas flow on the characteristics of zinc oxide coatings

Abstract

The primary aim of this study is to examine the effects of various combinations of working pressure and oxygen gas flow on the properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) coatings. Well-crystalline ZnO coatings are formed by employing RF magnetron sputtering on silicon wafers and glass while varying the working pressure and oxygen gas flow. The structure of the thin film was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). According to the XRD data, the film's structure was made of ZnO, and the peak (002) was visible. Over the wavelength range of 300–800 nm, the optical transmittance of ZnO thin film was examined. The observed transmission value was on average 85 %. With the assistance of contact angle measurement equipment, the surface energy and contact angle of the developed coatings were both determined. Measured contact angles ranged from 96.6° to 115.3°, whereas the surface energy ranged from 14.08 to 25.11 mJ/m2. The enhancement of the anti-icing attributes was achieved by the modification of the operating pressure and gas flow during the deposition process of the coatings.