The enhancement of physical properties of the (Ni-Co) doped ZnO films assisted by UV irradiation

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 130; no. 9
• Main Authors: Ahmad, Ahmad A., Al-Bataineh, Qais M., Alakhras, Lina A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.09.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Dopants; Doping; Electrical resistivity; Irradiation; Lattice vacancies; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Oxide coatings; Photoconductivity; Physical properties; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Ultraviolet radiation; Zinc oxide; Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs); Doping mechanism; Electrical conductivity; Zinc oxide (ZnO); Bandgap energy
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-024-07789-w

We report the experimental observations of the physical properties enhancement for the (Ni-Co)-doped ZnO films under a photodoping mechanism by UV irradiation. The elemental, structural, and morphological properties confirm that the photodoping mechanism in the (Ni-Co)-doped ZnO films is more successful than the traditional doping mechanism. The doping mechanism of the transparent conducting oxides under UV irradiation generates oxygen vacancies near the metal atoms, reducing the valency of metal ions while leaving dopant ions intact in the films. Therefore, the dopant ions occupy metal sites in the transparent conducting oxides, which enhances the physical properties of the doped transparent conducting oxides. Additionally, the effect of the photodoping mechanism on the bandgap energy, electrical conductivity, and photoconductivity is higher than the effect of the traditional doping mechanism. Finally, we can conclude that the physical properties of the Ni-, Co-, and (Ni-Co)-doped ZnO films are enhanced by using the photodoped method compared to those of the traditional doping method. Therefore, we suggest using the photodoping mechanism in the doped transparent conducting oxide film instead of the traditional doping mechanism.