Nanostructured ZnO thin film with improved optical and electrochemical properties prepared by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrate by the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition (HTED) route using slightly acidic aqueous zinc acetate solution at 80°C and were characterised by various techniques. The deposited films showed n-type behaviour with improved carrier concentration. The steady state photocurrent densities were found to be 0.4 mA/cm2 (under UV irradiation) and 8 µA/cm2 (under visible light illumination) at zero bias potential. Significant improvement of optical, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of deposited films could be achieved using HTED technique.