The delivery of porous ZnO thin films represents a challenge due to the low porosity achievable by conventional thin film deposition methods. In this contribution, the synthesis of mesoporous ZnO thin films is demonstrated through calcination in air of hybrid Zn-based polymers (zincone) obtained by molecular layer deposition (MLD). The calcination process was followed as a function of temperature using X-ray reflectivity and diffraction, together with spectroscopic ellipsometry. Temperature ranges were identified for the removal of the organic ligands (120 °C) and ZnO crystallization (340 °C). The total porosity and open porosity were also determined by ellipsometric porosimetry (EP) and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). The calcination temperature was identified as a control parameter for obtaining different (open) porosity contents and pore size distributions (PSDs). Open porosity values of 12.6% and 19.6% were obtained by calcining the zincones up to 600 °C and 400 °C, respectively. Open PSDs with a mean value of 3.2 nm (400 °C) and 4.6 nm (600 °C) were obtained. The formation of larger slit-shaped pores was demonstrated at higher temperatures, due to the growth and coalescence of ZnO crystallites.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c9dt02824b | DOI Listing |
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Department of Physics, Riphah International University, Campus Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
To advance off-grid energy solutions, developing flexible photobatteries capable of direct light charging is essential. This study presents an innovative photobattery architecture that incorporates zinc oxide (ZnO) as an electron-transporting and hole-blocking layer, combined with a hybrid methylammonium tin iodide composite with poly-triarylamine (MASnI/PTAA) for light absorption and hole transport. PTAA facilitates efficient hole transport to the anode, thereby enhancing charge separation and reducing recombination losses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSensors (Basel)
December 2024
School of Microelectronics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
The combination of ZnO with narrow bandgap materials such as CuO is now a common method to synthesize high-performance optoelectronic devices. This study focuses on optimizing the performance of p-CuO/n-ZnO heterojunction pyroelectric photodetectors, fabricated through magnetron sputtering, by leveraging the pyro-phototronic effect. The devices' photoresponse to UV (365 nm) and visible (405 nm) lasers is thoroughly examined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Mechatronics Engineering, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 50007, Taiwan.
Antimony selenide (SbSe) shows promise for photovoltaics due to its favorable properties and low toxicity. However, current SbSe solar cells exhibit efficiencies significantly below their theoretical limits, primarily due to interface recombination and non-optimal device architectures. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of SbSe thin-film solar cells using SCAPS-1D simulation software, focusing on device architecture optimization and interface engineering.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
December 2024
Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico.
Polycrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using the chemical spray pyrolysis method at 450 °C. The samples were irradiated with 8 keV H ions at three different fluences using a Colutron ion gun. The effects of the irradiation on the structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied with different techniques, including Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Ultraviolet and Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Omega
December 2024
Semiconductor Physics Group, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
In this work, the sensing ability and the underlying reaction pathways of HS adsorption on two nanomaterial systems, pristine zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) and gold functionalized zinc oxide nanowires (Au@ZnO NWs), were explored in a side-by-side comparison of optical and electrical gas sensing. The properties of optical sensing were analyzed by photoluminescence intensity-over-time measurements (-) of as-grown ZnO NW samples, and the electrical gas-sensing properties were analyzed by current-over-time measurements (-) of ZnO NW chemically sensitive field-effect transistor (ChemFET) structures with a gas-sensitive open gate. The ZnO NWs were grown by high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and thereafter surface-functionalized with a thin Au nanoparticle layer by magnetron sputtering.
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