Gd-doped ZnO Thin Films Research Articles

Magnetic Domain Characterization and Physical Properties of Gd-Doped and (Gd, Al) Co-Doped ZnO Thin Films.

Undoped ZnO, Gd-doped ZnO with various doping concentration (1, 3, 5, and 7 at%), and 3 at% (Gd, Al) co-doped ZnO films were prepared on a glass substrate using the co-reactive sputtering method. The influence of the doping and co-doping process on the films was characterized using X-ray diffraction, FESEM, EDX, MFM, VSM, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and the Hall Effect measurement at room temperature. XRD study confirmed that the Gd and Al ions are incorporated into a ZnO lattice. EDX analysis confirmed the existence of Zn, O, Al, and Gd elements in the prepared Gd-doped ZnO and (Gd, Al) co-doped ZnO films, which suggests the successful doping procedure. All the deposited films obtained maximum optical transmittance above 80%, showing a high transparency of the films in the visible region. The optical band gap was found red-shifted from 3.11 to 3.21 eV with the increase in Gd doping concentration. The increase in band gap energy from 3.14 eV to 3.16 eV was obtained for 3 at% Gd and 3 at% (Gd, Al) co-doped ZnO films. The MFM measurement proved the existence of room-temperature ferromagnetism and spin polarization in Gd and (Gd, Al) co-doped ZnO films. By co-doping with Al, the result obtained from MFM shows the enhancement of magnetic properties, as it exhibited a smaller domain size with a shorter magnetic correlation length L, a larger phase shift Φrms, and the highest value of δfrms compared to the sample with 3 at% Gd incorporated into ZnO. The carrier concentration and electrical conductivity increased with the increase in Gd concentration, whereas the electrical resistivity and hall mobility showed a reverse trend. The similar trend of results obtained for 3 at% (Gd, Al) co-doped ZnO as compared to 3 at% Gd-doped ZnO also indicates greater electrical properties after a shallow donor such as aluminum was incorporated into Gd-doped ZnO thin films. In conclusion, for future applications, one should consider the possible influence of other types of shallow donor incorporation in an attempt to enhance the properties of new types of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs).

Growth, properties and photocatalytic degradation of congo red using Gd:ZnO thin films under visible light

Pristine ZnO thin films, as well as 1, 2, 3 and 4 at.% Gd:ZnO thin films, were synthesized via a spray pyrolysis approach on glass substrates and different analysis methods were used to explore the effect of Gd ion doping on the structural, morphological, chemical, and optical characteristics. The presence of functional groups and chemical bonds ascribed to ZnO were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurement. The presence of Zn, O, and Gd in the formed pristine and Gd:ZnO thin films was confirmed using EDX analysis and elemental mapping investigations, which was further validated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis that indicated the existence of Gd in the layers with Gd in the + 3 state. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the films are polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure, and surface morphology changed with increasing Gd content. The ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometer for all films shows good visible transmittance averaging 60–80% and their band gap energy (Eg) ranging between 3.24 and 3.26 eV. The photocatalytic proprieties of the films were carried out by assessing the degradation efficiency of the dye Congo red (CR) under visible light. The results show that Gd:ZnO films with different Gd contents have better catalytic degradation efficiencies than pristine ZnO.

Ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO thin films mediated by defects

Ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO thin films mediated by defects

Influence of Various Target to Substrate Distances on the Structural and Optical Properties of Sputtered Gd-Doped ZnO Thin Films

The effect of various target to substrate distance on the physical properties of sputtered Gd-doped ZnO thin films were investigated. The thin films with three distances between a target to substrate ranged from 12.0, 13.5 and 15.0 cm were deposited by a dual-target sputtering method. All the thin film properties were characterized using x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscope, energy dispersive x-ray analysis and ultra-violet visible spectrophotometer. The sharp and intense peak of (002) was observed for a sample with the target to substrate distance of 13.5 cm which indicated good crystallinity as compared to other samples. Gd incorporations of 3 at% in ZnO films were further confirmed via the energy dispersive x-ray analysis. AFM images revealed that the surface topology Gd-doped ZnO thin film have a smooth and uniform surface. The transmittance was above 90 % and slightly decrease with the increase of target to substrate distance. The bandgap value was static at 3.14 eV for all the 12.0, 13.5 and 15.0 cm of various target to substrate distances.

Gd doping effect on structural, electrical and magnetic properties of ZnO thin films synthesized by sol-gel spin coating technique

Nanocrystalline Gd-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on sapphire (0001) substrates using sol-gel spin coating technique. The structural and optical properties of deposited thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and micro Raman spectroscopy. Structural and optical studies show that the doped Gd ions occupy Zn sites retaining the wurtzite symmetry. Photoluminescence (PL) studies reveal the presence of oxygen vacancies in Gd doped ZnO thin films. The resistivity of Gd doped ZnO thin film decreases with increase in Gd doping upto 4%. Gd-doped ZnO films demonstrate weak magnetic ordering at room temperature.

Modified Ultrasonic Technique to Study Gd-Doped ZnO Films

Normal ultrasonic transducers of 0.5, 1, and 2 MHz are modified using delay lines which are made of Quartz. Such modification is to ameliorate the capability of the transducer to investigate Gd-doped ZnO thin films whose thickness is too thin. The normal transducers cannot test materials that have too thin thickness due to the near fields of these transducers. The near field is considered as blind area of the transducer. Therefore, the specimen under test must have thickness bigger than the near field of the used transducer, or instead delay lines can be used. Samples of Gd-doped ZnO thin films are prepared using sol gel technique. The ultrasonic pulse echo method is used at room temperature. Flaws are found in different prepared specimens. Results show that such delay lines are suitable to ameliorate the ultrasonic transducer to test Gd-doped ZnO thin films.

Identifying the influence of the intrinsic defects in Gd-doped ZnO thin-films

Gd-doped ZnO thin films were prepared using pulsed laser deposition at different oxygen pressures and varied Gd concentrations. The effects of oxygen deficiency-related defects on the Gd incorporation, optical and structural properties, were explored by studying the impact of oxygen pressure during deposition and post-growth thermal annealing in vacuum. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry revealed that the Gd concentration increases with increasing oxygen pressure for samples grown with the same Gd-doped ZnO target. Unexpectedly, the c-lattice parameter of the samples tends to decrease with increasing Gd concentration, suggesting that Gd-defect complexes play an important role in the structural properties. Using low-temperature photoluminescence (PL), Raman measurements and density functional theory calculations, we identified oxygen vacancies as the dominant intrinsic point defects. PL spectra show a defect band related to oxygen vacancies for samples grown at oxygen deficiency.

Effect of Crystallite Size on the Optical and Structural Properties of Gadolinium-Doped Zinc Oxide

Rare earth Gd-doped ZnO thin films were prepared by a simple sol-gel spin coating method in order to search for a new functional diluted magnetic semiconductor for potential application in spintronics. The thin films were deposited onto glass substrates with zinc acetate dehydrate, monoethanolamine and 2-methoxyethanol as a starting material, stabilizer and solvent, respectively. The dopant percentage was increased up to 8%. Optical investigation showed that the crystallinity of the thin films was changing due to the increase of the Gd concentrations and optical band gap energy (Eg) value was estimated to be around 3.12 ~ 3.28 eV using Tauc's model. The crystallite size determined from XRD spectra and the results was found that the value is in the range of 14.42 ~ 21.98 nm.

Obtaining strong ferromagnetism in diluted Gd-doped ZnO thin films through controlled Gd-defect complexes

We demonstrate the fabrication of reproducible long-range ferromagnetism (FM) in highly crystalline GdxZn1−xO thin films by controlling the defects. Films are grown on lattice-matched substrates by pulsed laser deposition at low oxygen pressures (≤25 mTorr) and low Gd concentrations (x ≤ 0.009). These films feature strong FM (10 μB per Gd atom) at room temperature. While films deposited at higher oxygen pressure do not exhibit FM, FM is recovered by post-annealing these films under vacuum. These findings reveal the contribution of oxygen deficiency defects to the long-range FM. We demonstrate the possible FM mechanisms, which are confirmed by density functional theory study, and show that Gd dopants are essential for establishing FM that is induced by intrinsic defects in these films.

Defect-band mediated ferromagnetism in Gd-doped ZnO thin films

Gd-doped ZnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition with Gd concentrations varying from 0.02–0.45 atomic percent (at. %) showed deposition oxygen pressure controlled ferromagnetism. Thin films prepared with Gd dopant levels (<Gd 0.112 at. %) at low oxygen deposition pressure (<25 mTorr) were ferromagnetic at room temperature. Negative magnetoresistance, electric transport properties showed that the ferromagnetic exchange is mediated by a spin-split defect band formed due to oxygen deficiency related defect complexes. Mott's theory of variable range of hopping conduction confirms the formation of the impurity/defect band near the Fermi level.

Studies on Gd doped ZnO nanocrystalline thin films

Nanocrystalline Gd doped ZnO thin films have been synthesised using pulsed spray pyrolysis method. The structural studies reveal that the Gd doped ZnO films exhibit wurtzite structure and the doped Gd ions occupy Zn sites, and the lattice parameter c axis value was found to decrease with doping. The grain size of the film was calculated using Scherrer’s formula and was found to lie in the range of 8·46–10·58 nm. The optical absorbance and transmittance spectra were recorded by using an ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 200–1600 nm. The band gap value was observed to be in the range of 2·89–3·08 eV.

Intrinsic ferromagnetism and magnetic anisotropy in Gd-doped ZnO thin films synthesized by pulsed spray pyrolysis method

This paper reports an in-depth study on nanocrystalline Gd-doped ZnO thin films synthesized using versatile pulsed spray pyrolysis method and exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism. The detailed structural and microstructural studies confirm that the doped Gd ions occupy Zn sites and the peak shift can be elucidated by charge neutrality. Optical investigation shows that the Gd doping in ZnO lattice leads to a decrease in the near band edge position due to the introduction of new unoccupied states by Gd 4f electrons. The electronic structure of the Zn1−xGdxO at the O K edge shows the evolution of pre-edge spectral features similar to cuprates and manganites, and also confirms the strong hybridization of O 2p–Gd 4f/5d states. Furthermore, the Gd M5 edge provides evidence that Gd ions are in the trivalent state. Hysteresis measurements demonstrate that the Gd-doped ZnO films are magnetically anisotropic and exhibit intrinsic ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. Higher magnetization in 3 kOe values is observed for a field applied perpendicular to the sample surface compared to the in-plane direction.