Structural, optical, electrical and morphological properties of different concentration sol-gel ZnO seeds and consanguineous ZnO nanostructured growth dependence on seeds

Abstract

Previous studies on solution concentration, density, coating time, and annealing temperature of sol-gel ZnO seeds have underrated the growth of ZnO nanostructures. However, these details are quite vital and central to growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods (ZNRs). The current study investigates ZNR structure and growth dependence upon solution concentration, thickness, density, diameter, annealing time, annealing temperature, and crystalline quality of sol-gel spin coated ZnO seeds. For growth optimization, we used 0.02, 0.04, and 0.09 M zinc acetate seeds in n-propanol coated two and five times on a p-Si substrate. We found that seed thickness and density depend upon successive coats and the seed solution concentration. The morphology, alignment, density, aspect ratio, crystalline quality, and optical properties of ZNRs are directly related to the seed parameters. The defect centers in seeds and ZNRs are independent of each other. We also studied the electrical characteristics of spin coated seeds, which is a hallmark in the research and development of seed oriented growth of ZnO nanostructures. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.