Sol-gel Route Research Articles

Performance Study of Cadmium Telluride Solar Cell Featured with Silicon Thin Film Made by Sol-Gel Route

Performance Study of Cadmium Telluride Solar Cell Featured with Silicon Thin Film Made by Sol-Gel Route

Wide-range emission of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped lanthanum niobates: A study of temperature and excitation-dependent luminescence aiming at applications in Biophotonics

We have synthesized Er3+,Yb3+ co-doped lanthanum niobate samples by a sol–gel route and investigated their luminescent properties under different excitation sources aiming at applications in Biophotonics. The samples were crystalline and composed primarily of orthorhombic La3NbO7 with secondary formation of monoclinic LaNbO4. We verified NIR-to-visible upconversion with the naked eye under excitation at 980 and 1550 nm; emission in the green and red regions prevailed, respectively. X-ray excitation revealed prevalent emission in the blue region, attributed to the luminescence of NbO43− groups in the lattice, as well as Er3+ emissions in the visible range. All the samples presented high relative thermal sensitivity (above 1.32 % K−1) and repeatability above 97 % between 243 and 293 K. Based on the investigated luminescent properties, the samples prepared herein are versatile materials with a wide range of potential applications as scintillators, optical markers, energy converters for photodynamic therapy, and nanothermometers.

Controlled Crystallization of Tb3+/Yb3+ Co-Doped Silica-Hafnia Glass-Ceramic films deposited by spin coating

A comprehensive understanding of the crystallization process of sol gel-derived glass-ceramics and glasses is crucial, being this process critical for the optical properties of these materials.In this study, we provide the X-ray Diffraction (XRD) investigation of Silica-Hafnia co-doped Tb3+/Yb3+ luminescent layers synthesized through the sol-gel route and deposited via spin coating technique as a function of temperature. Notably, the crystallization starts after a heat treatment of 1000 °C with an increase in the crystallinity and in the crystallite size by increasing the temperature. Furthermore, a direct correlation between temperature-induced turbidity and crystallite radius was observed, which makes the samples grown at 1000 °C as transparent as those grown at lower temperature, surpassing 80 % transmittance. The materials' remarkable degree of transparency designates them as exceptionally viable contenders for implementation as light concentrators in photonic applications.

Third-order nonlinear optical properties of metal oxide nanoparticles and nanocomposites: A review

This paper reviews the vibrant field of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of metal oxide nanoparticles and nanocomposites. It includes a historic introduction which discusses the birth and successive developments of NLO. An attempt is made to give a summary in a nutshell about the basic concepts of nonlinear optics and different NLO phenomena with special attention to third-order phenomenon and [Formula: see text]-scan technique. The review also touches on the topic of science and technology of metal oxide nanoparticles and nanocomposites, various synthesis processes that include co-precipitation, micro-emulsion, sol–gel route, etc. have been discussed. Metal oxide nanoparticles and nanocomposites are introduced with a deep focus on the origin of various physical mechanisms and optical properties. The origin of NLO properties from these important structures has also been discussed. Some recently studied metal oxide nanocomposites along with their NLO coefficients are also given.

Zinc oxide-based sensor prepared by modified sol–gel route for detection of low concentrations of ethanol, methanol, acetone, and formaldehyde

Abstract We4 4 We received the acceptance date as 26 September 2024. Could you please update it to reflect this exact date for our project, instead of 1 October 2024? This is very important for our project funding. successfully synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using the sol–gel method, followed by their application onto alumina substrates for sensor testing. Comprehensive characterization of the nanomaterials was carried out utilizing XRD, SEM, TEM, UV–VIS-IR, and Photoluminescence (PL) techniques. The nanoparticles displayed a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure, typical of ZnO. UV–Vis-IR spectroscopy revealed significant absorption in the UV region, with the band gap energy calculated to be 3.22 eV. PL spectra indicated the presence of various defects, such as oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials, within the ZnO structure. SEM analysis of the deposited film surface showed spherical agglomerates, confirming the nanoscale dimensions, while energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy spectra affirmed the high purity of the ZnO films, rich in Zn and O elements. Sensor tests demonstrated the ZnO sensor’s high sensitivity to low concentrations of volatile organic compounds such as ethanol, formaldehyde, methanol, and acetone. Notably, at an operational temperature of 300 °C, the sensor exhibited a remarkable response to 5 ppm of each gas, with the following response and response/recovery times: for methanol, 11.47 and 36 s/57 s; for acetone, 11.54 and 25 s/52 s; for formaldehyde, 0.79 and 53 s/58 s; and for ethanol, 3.88 and 9 s/59 s.

Synthesis, structure, I–V characteristics, and optical properties of chromium oxide thin films for optoelectronic applications

Abstract Improving coating technology and thin film formation by optimizing the experimental parameters has become essential for various industrial and technological fields. This work aims to study the influence of the precursor materials on the physical and electro-optical properties of Cr2O3 thin films. The solutions were prepared using the sol–gel route and deposited on glass slides using the spin coating technique. The structure and morphology of the films were studied using XRD, FT-infrared (IR), and field-emission scan-electron microscope. The results indicated the formation of a high-purity Cr2O3 (Eskolaite) phase in the form of spherical nanoparticles with sizes of 17–25 nm. Three bands appear at 490, 765, and 889 cm − 1 {{\rm{cm}}}^{-1} in the FTIR spectra, which are attributed to Cr – O {\rm{Cr}}{\rm{\mbox{--}}}{\rm{O}} / Cr ═ O {\rm{Cr}}{\rm{═}}{\rm{O}} vibrations. The I–V curves showed linear behavior and good ohmic features. Ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectra showed that the films are highly transparent, with band gaps in the range of 2.60–2.90 eV, and refractive indices in the range of 1.92–2.25. The sheet resistances, the new figure of merit, the real and fictional dielectric constants, and the optical conductivity were discussed. The Cr2O3 thin films are the best candidates for various utilizations, including solar cells, sensors in the IR region, and energy storage.

Enhancement of magnetic properties of bismuth-substituted Mn-Mg-Cu-Zn ferrite prepared by sol-gel route

Enhancement of magnetic properties of bismuth-substituted Mn-Mg-Cu-Zn ferrite prepared by sol-gel route

Reactivity of a plagioclase concentrate from the South African Bushveld Igneous Complex via extractive acid leaching vs. extractive roasting-leaching processes

This study compared the reactivity of a plagioclase concentrate subjected to two processes: (1) direct acid leaching and (2) thermochemical treatment with ammonium sulfate followed by leaching. The sample was prepared from coarse-grained pyroxenite rock retrieved from the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa. It contained 78% plagioclase (labradorite), 9% orthopyroxene (enstatite) and 13% quartz. The elements contained in the concentrate were categorized into three groups based on their susceptibility to direct acid extraction after 6 h of leaching. Group 1 consisted of the highly reactive main elements of plagioclase (Al, Ca and Na, with extraction efficiencies of 95%, 89% and 81%, respectively). Group 2 included elements predominantly present in enstatite (Mg and Fe with extraction efficiencies of 41% and 55%, respectively). Group 3 was composed of slowly extractable Si (25%) from mostly plagioclase. Increasing the duration of direct acid leaching to 24 h had no effect on the extraction of Group 1 elements, whereas the extraction of Mg and Fe (Group 2) increased to >60%, and that of Si (Group 3) increased from 25 to 80%. The latter correlated with the nearly complete disappearance of the plagioclase blueprint in the XRD pattern of the residues generated after 24 h of leaching. In contrast, plagioclase had limited reactivity with ammonium sulfate during thermochemical treatment. Direct acid leaching of plagioclase-rich tailings can therefore generate leachates to be used as precursors for the preparation of value-added products, such as silica nanoparticles via a sol–gel route and calcium aluminate nanoparticles via solution combustion.

Investigating the Structural, Linear/Nonlinear Optical, and Photoluminescence Characteristics of CuO/ZnMn2O4 Nanocomposite for Physicochemical Applications

The structural, optical, and photoluminescence performance of CuO/ZnMn2O4 nanocomposites was investigated for optical applications. Nanocomposites of xCuO/(1-x)ZnMn2O4 (x; 0 to 0.7) were equipped using the sol-gel route. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction data were collected to examine the structural parameters. Rietveld refinement analysis reveals that the crystallite size decreases upon raising x from 0 to 0.7. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that the distribution of particle sizes demonstrates a relatively broad spectrum within the nanometer range. Raman spectroscopy investigations were applied to examine the structure’s vibrations. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology of the formed samples. UV–vis spectrophotometry was applied to collect optical absorbance and reflectance measurements of the samples. Optical energy gap E g was determined utilizing the Kubelka-Munk method. The refractive index investigations were explored based on seven empirical formulas. The nonlinear optical parameters were explored as a function of CuO contents. The influence of CuO amount on the photoluminescence spectra was investigated. CIE chromaticity diagrams showed that all samples have various degrees of blue-violet colors. A significant improvement was achieved in the linear/nonlinear optical performance of nano ZnMn2O4 by forming CuO/ZnMn2O4 heterojunction, supporting the possible use of CuO/ZnMn2O4 nanocomposites in various optical applications.

Impact of chromium substitution on structural, spectroscopic, and dielectric properties of Ba4Ni2Fe36O60 ceramics

Cr-substituted Ni2U hexaferrite series (Ba4Ni2Fe36-xCrxO60for x = 0.0 to x = 2.0 with a step size of 0.5) was prepared via sol-gel auto-combustion route and annealed at 1200 °C for 6 h. The samples were investigated using XRD, FTIR, SEM, XPS, and high frequency (1 MHz–6 GHz) dielectric and microwave absorption measurements (VNA). XRD studies revealed that Cr3+ ions successfully substituted in BaNi2U-type hexaferrite and have a single-phase structure. The average crystallite size decreased while the percentage of porosity increased with the substitution. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of the hexaferrite phase in all compositions. SEM micrographs revealed that the prepared samples are hexagonal. XPS spectra show the presence of all constituent elements in the samples. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and A.C. conductivity of samples was analyzed. Cole-Cole plots with single semicircles of different radii show the grain and grain boundaries affecting the conduction process. Moreover, Cr-substitution enhanced the microwave absorption capability. The hexaferrite sample Ba4Ni2Fe35 Cr1.0O60, with a pellet thickness of 1.81 mm, showed the highest M.W. absorption at 1.09 GHz frequency with a reflection loss (R.L.) value of −55 dB. The hexagonal-shaped morphology, high porosity, and enhanced reflection loss value suggest their use in high-frequency microwave applications.

Microwave absorption properties of ytterbium substituted X-type ferrite in P-, L-, S-, and C-band

Ba1.5Sr0.5Zn2Fe28-xYbxO46 (x = 0.00, 0.07, 0.14, 0.21, and 0.28) hexaferrite were synthesized via sol-gel auto-combustion route to investigate the microwave absorption performance in different frequency bands. The structure has a single phase, and the variation in lattice parameter was observed due to Yb-content as host iron Fe3+ and substituted Yb3+ having different ionic radii. Microwave absorbing materials (MAMs) need to be lightweight, and the maximum crystallite size of prepared material is 41 nm. The physical properties vary with substitution, and the X-ray density value is higher than the bulk density, and the porosity of the prepared sample increases when the bulk density decreases. Micro-strain values are inverse to the crystallite size because Yb3+ has larger ionic radii than Fe3+. Rietveld refinement of the XRD patterns was conducted with a lower significance value. FTIR bands observed between 414 and 500 cm−1 are present due to iron-oxygen bond stretching and bending vibrations at octahedral and tetrahedral lattice sites. The cation distribution is highly responsible for the peak position of octahedral and tetrahedral sites—the dielectric constant increases with frequency because of dipole, interfacial, and electronic/atomic polarization. AC conductivity is very low, reflecting that the material can be used as a dielectric medium in the microwave frequency range's L, S, and C bands. The best MAM among all prepared materials is Ba1.5Sr0.5Zn2Fe27.72Yb0.28O46 which can be used for global positioning systems, weather radar, and satellite feeds as it has an excellent dielectric loss, remarkable tangential loss, and the reflection loss in P-, L-, S-, and C-bands. Other real-life application of all prepared materials are multi-layer chip inductor and longitudinal media recording.

Exploring dielectric and electrical characteristics in Sr0.5Ba0.5SnxFe12-xO19/CoFe2O4 nanocomposites

This study examined the morphological, structural, electrical, and dielectric characteristics of hard-soft (H-S) Sr0.5Ba0.5SnxFe12-xO19/CoFe2O4 (x ≤ 0.10) ferrite nanocomposites (NCs), created using one-pot sol-gel combustion route. This study systematically investigated the electrical/dielectric features of H-S Sr0.5Ba0.5SnxFe12-xO19/CoFe2O4 NCs where x is within the range of 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.10. The examination realizes frequencies that reach 3.0 MHz, conducted within 20 °C–120 °C. A detailed analysis was performed to investigate various conduction mechanisms linked with dielectric constant, dissipation factor, AC/DC conductivity, loss of dielectric capacity, and real/imaginary modulus, which were explored across the entire range of Sn ion substitution ratios. Observations reveal that the conductivity variations adhere to power law dynamics concerning frequency, predominantly influenced by the Sn ion substitution ratios within the NCs. Furthermore, the frequency dependency of the dielectric coefficient across all NCs substantiates the common propagation of dielectric behavior, prominently contingent upon the substitution ratio of "x". Notably, the majority of dielectric parameters observed in H-S Sr0.5Ba0.5SnxFe12-xO19/CoFe2O4 (x ≤ 0.10) NCs are attributable to grain-to-grain boundaries, elucidated by conduction mechanisms similar to those observed in most compositional ferrites, explicable through Koop's model.

Cobalt-free spinel–layered structurally integrated Li0.8Mn0.64Ni0.183Fe0.091O2 cathodes for lithium-ion batteries

Cobalt-free, Li-rich layered-spinel structurally integrated positive electrode (cathode) materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), with nominal composition 0.6(Li1.2Mn0.56Fe0.08Ni0.16O2) 0.4(LiFe0.2Mn1.4Ni0.4O4) which can otherwise be written as Li0.8Mn0.64Ni0.183Fe0.091O2 (FeSL) are synthesized via simple citric acid-assisted sol-gel route. Four different final annealing temperatures (550 °C, 650 °C, 750 °C, and 850 °C) were chosen to investigate their influence on electrochemical performance. The obtained composite materials contain spinel (space group Fd3¯m) as well as Li-rich layered phases (space group C2/m) as revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), HRTEM and cyclic voltammetry investigations. The excellent electrochemical performance of the composite material could be attributed to the structural stability achieved by the integration of spinel and layered components. Selected synthesized composite materials exhibit high discharge capacities close to 200 mAh g−1. The FeSL750 shows better capacity retention (92(3)% at the 50th cycle and 82(5)% at the 70th cycle) and rate capability than the FeSL550 and FeSL650 samples. However, the FeSL850 sample shows different charge-discharge behaviour. The charge capacity corresponding to FeSL850 is found to increase up to the 20th cycle, then stabilizes and displays a capacity retention of almost 100 % at the 50th cycle and 91(1)% at the 70th cycle. The electrochemical mechanism of FeSL750 was elucidated via in operando XAS investigations, which reveal electrochemical activity from all transition metals.

Low-temperature sol–gel preparation of single-phase PbZrO3 ceramics

Antiferroelectrics have recently captured widespread attention for their potential applications in energy storage capacitors, electronic and electrothermal devices. PbZrO3, being the first antiferroelectric discovered, remains the focus of antiferroelectric studies. Conventionally, the PbZrO3 ceramics were prepared via a high-temperature solid-state reaction method (higher than 1000∘C). Here, we report a simple sol–gel route to prepare single-phase PbZrO3 ceramic at a much lower calcination temperature of 600∘C. By using the single-phase PbZrO3 ceramics, thin films with outstanding antiferroelectric property showing well-defined double-hysteresis polarization switching were further obtained by pulsed laser deposition.

Structural, optical, magnetic, and photocatalytic analysis of exclusive metal aluminates against Congo Red dye under UV light

The exclusive ZnAl2O4 (ZAO), CaAl2O4 (CAO), and MgAl2O4 (MAO) nanocrystallites were prepared by the citrate sol–gel route and further annealed at 600 °C for 2 h. XRD and Rietveld refinement were conducted to explore the crystal structure and to optimize the profile parameters. FTIR confirmed the vibrational peaks of relevant functional groups. The additional stretching and bending IR modes in MAO sample emphasized structural disorders like antisites/native defects. The UV-DRS spectra of these samples analyzed the direct bandgap in 2.76–4.29 eV range. HR-TEM micrographs characterize the well-developed nanosized grains. From VSM data, several magnetic parameters were collected for prepared aluminates and found MAO as best ferromagnetic material with the highest coercive field value (1235 Oe). PL spectra of metal aluminates suggest that the broad peak in violet-blue is attributed to the band edge emission, and finite peaks in higher wavelength regions have appeared due to the large density of surface traps and oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic mechanism of ZAO, MAO & CAO nanopowder was elucidated on the Congo Red dye (10–70 ppm) solution after exposure to UV light. The highest value of rate constant (k = 0.0118 min−1) suggests that the MAO (0.3 g l−1) sample would be an efficient photocatalyst (98%) under UV light owing to its large surface area (125 m2 g−1) and suitable bandgap. The overall results advocate the practical applicability of aluminate photocatalysts in water treatment, spintronics, and photonics.

Cr–Sc co-substituted nickel-cobalt nanospinel ferrites: An investigation of their structural, magnetic properties and hyperfine interactions

The chromium and scandium co-substituted nickel-cobalt nanospinel ferrites (NSFs) having general formula of Co0.5Ni0.5ScxCrxFe2-2xO4 (CoNiScCr) (x ≤ 0.10) have been fabricated through the sol-gel route and citric acid as fuel and characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and finally by scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques (SEM and TEM, respectively). The crystallite size (Dmax) values of the products were estimated to lay between 31 and 46 nm, which was calculated by the Scherrer formula. It was observed that the doping ions’ concentration did not have a linear impact on the expansion of the lattice constant. SEM and TEM present the cubic shape of CoNiScCr NSFs. All ratios demonstrate highly agglomerated cubic particles with diverse sizes. Both XRD and EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) analyses confirmed the absence of any impurity/phases. Through an analysis of hysteresis loops at 300 (RT = room temperature) and 20 K, along with a probe of temperature-induced alteration in magnetization M, the magnetic properties of CoNiScCr (x ≤ 0.10) NSFs have been thoroughly investigated. Notably, all products exhibited complementary soft and hard magnetic behaviors at RT and 20 K, respectively. At 20 K, the observation of squareness ratio values surpassing 0.5 exhibits a single-domain behavior at this specific temperature. Magnetic parameters, in general, exhibit fluctuations with increasing doping content. Across the entire range of materials studied, a notable trend emerges as the temperature decreases, the magnetization in the zero field cooling curves shows a non-linear decrease, eventually stabilizing in the field cooling branches. The findings suggest that the inclusion of Sc3+/Cr3+ dopants can be utilized to manipulate and achieve desired magnetic properties in Co–Ni ferrites. The spectra of Mössbauer analysis, which was utilized to establish the distribution of cations, presented four magnetic sextets for all samples. Doped ions are substituted with Fe3+ ions at the B site.

Effect of Ba substitution on dielectric and magnetic properties in La2MnNiO6 double perovskite

This paper reports the synthesis of single-phase La2-xBaxMnNiO6 (x = 0.0 and 0.5) double-perovskite using sol-gel auto-combustion route. ADXRD studies confirm the pure phase formation of the compound with the space group R3‾c and that no other structural transformation was observed even after Ba substitution. FESEM analysis show the formation of uniformly distributed ball-shaped nanoparticles and EDX spectra endorses the stoichiometric composition of the as prepared samples. The existence of mixed oxidation states of Ni and Mn ions is validated by XPS. The dielectric properties studied in the temperature range 100 K–320 K show the enhancement in the dielectric constant and the relaxor nature of the compound upon Ba substitution. The fitting of power law and Arrott's plot validates the presence of short-range ordering i.e. Griffith-like phase. The dielectric and magnetic properties are strongly linked and correlated based on enhanced antisite disorder (∼10 %). The ESR spectroscopy was used to calculate spin relaxation time and verify the existence of double exchange interaction in the compound.

Highly effective ruthenium catalyst support on La2Zr2O7 for ammonia decomposition to COx-free hydrogen

Pyrochlore-type La2Zr2O7 was prepared through a sol–gel route and served as a Ru-based catalyst support for ammonia decomposition to produce H2 without COx emission. The NH3 conversion over Ru/La2Zr2O7 could reach 69.5 % at 450 °C under the pure NH3 gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 30 000 mL.gcat-1h−1, which is approximately 3.1 times of that over Ru/ZrO2 and 2.2 times of Ru/La2O3 under the same conditions, respectively. It was found that the presence of oxygen vacancies on La2Zr2O7 surface can strongly interact with Ru particles to form the electronic strong metal-support interaction (EMSI), increasing the dispersion of Ru nanoparticles. Additionally, the mobile electrons are effectively transferred from La2Zr2O7 to the surface of Ru particles through the EMSI effect, consequently boosting the recombination desorption of N and ultimately contributing to the exceptional catalytic activity of Ru/La2Zr2O7.

Exploring the defect formation and ionic migration in A2Zr2O7 (A = La, Ce, Nd, and Gd) Pyrochlore solid-state electrolytes

This study investigated the potential of A2Zr2O7 pyrochlore phase oxides (A = La, Ce, Nd, and Gd) as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte materials. A2Zr2O7 ceramics were synthesized using the sol-gel process, and their disordered pyrochlore structure was confirmed by X-ray Diffraction and Rietveld refinement. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to examine the morphology of the materials, while X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed a high oxygen ion concentration. UV–Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and density of states calculations consistently showed similar bandgap patterns in all zirconate pyrochlore. Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations provided insights into the electronic structure and migration pathways. A two-probe conductivity study confirmed the relation between the ionic conductivity and ordering degree of pyrochlore. At 750 °C, LZO, CZO, and GZO exhibited ionic conductivity values of 5.44 × 10−3 S/cm, 3.00 × 10−3 S/cm, and 2.01 × 10−3 S/cm respectively, while NZO demonstrated a conductivity of 1.27 × 10−2 S/cm at 700 °C, which is higher than that of the other samples. This study favours the use of the sol-gel route for processing zirconate pyrochlore materials, highlighting its ability to achieve high densities at lower temperatures and exhibit enhanced ionic conductivity. A2Zr2O7 has emerged as a promising oxide-ion conducting solid electrolyte for intermediate temperature SOFC applications within the 600–750 °C temperature range.

Sr-doped ZnO thin film on a silicon substrate (100) grown by sol-gel method: Structural and optical study

In the current study, Sr-doped ZnO thin films were fabricated through a sol-gel route on a silicon substrate (100). The structural, optical, and morphological studies were examined through XRD, UV–vis, PL spectroscopy, and SEM. The crystalline superiority is enhanced through increasing Sr content while the optical bandgap is reduced because of lattice distortion and the production of active imperfections in ZnO, which may be the reason for bandgap tailing. The grain sizes observed are 53, 54, and 60 nm for ZnO, ZnSr1%, and ZnSr2%. Microstructural and strain were explored through Scherrer, W–H, and SSP methods. Furthermore, peak broadening was investigated using these methods. UV–Vis spectroscopy was employed to investigate the band gap of all grown thin films, which are 3.37, 3.28, and 3.20 eV of ZnO, ZnSr1% and ZnSr2%. The optical study was carried out to investigate the band gap, including different parameters such as Absorbance (A), transmittance (T), absorption coefficient (α), band gap (Eg) using different methods, band gap by derivative method, urbach energy (Eu), skin depth (δ), optical density (OD), refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), optical conductivity (σopt), dielectric constants (εr, εi), and Tan (α) were also explored. PL spectroscopy was used to study the defects in grown thin films. SEM was employed to examine the morphology of all fabricated thin films. ZnO thin film is widely studied for optoelectronics applications.