Optical, dielectric, and transport properties of Ag-doped ZnO prepared by Aloe Vera assisted method

Abstract

The prime objective of this work is to investigate the effect of Ag-doping on the structural, optical, optoelectronic, dielectric, transport, and other parameters of ZnO. Ag-doped ZnO samples were prepared by a green sol-gel method based on Aloe Vera extract. Ag doping levels were taken as 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.1 at%. The structural properties were made by XRD, EDAX, and SEM imaging. All the optical parameters were based on the diffuse reflectance data obtained at ambient temperature. Defects generation, bandgaps, and inter-band transitions were evaluated according to the Urback tail and Tauc's equation. The determined parameters were also dependent on the refractive index and the extinction coefficient. The dielectric properties study, including the high frequency dielectric constant and the real and imaginary parts of dielectric constants, were evaluated. Transport properties such as optical and electrical conductivity, optical mobility, and optical charge carriers were investigated. The dynamics of transport, including dielectric loss factor, volume and surface energy loss functions, dielectric relaxation time, electronic polarizability, and optical electronegativity, were studied. The nonlinear optical constants of AgxZnO materials were determined.